Buddy, horses are an amazing thing. difficult child loves her riding lessons. If I could afford it I would have her out there every day. She has to even use some of her DBT skills while she is there. It was funny the first time I heard her instructor tell her to be mindful of what she was doing and to stay in the moment. She doesn't take therapeutic lessons, so it was kind of funny to hear that. She takes direction without question there. It is so good for her to "follow orders" without arguing or questioning why it has to be a certain way. She just does it. I think it really has a lot to do with her instructor. She is just amazing. She just gets difficult child. And I have never told instructor about difficult child's gfgness.
RM- holidays tend to be a major source of stress around here too. This Christmas was horrid. I really thought that difficult child and I would be staying home while husband and easy child traveled to visit family. Birthdays seem to follow suit. I do not know if difficult child sets up in her mind what will happen, and when it doesn't follow exactly what she imagines she loses it, or if it is just too much of everything. But by the end someone is usually crying or screaming. Not this year. We just did everything at her pace, and let her make all of the decisions. I was very happy how it turned out.
We still have a long way to go, but we are getting there. And, if you had told me we would be at this point back in Nov. or Dec. I would have never believed you.