Here we go again ... he's out sick today. Must be a new school year!

[TerryJ2]

At least we made it through the first week, and yesterday was an entire day of 9/11 programs (excellent info; I quizzed difficult child and he was highly engaged--and no worries about being politcally correct!).
He's got a headache and stomach ache. I thought we could circumvent this issue by loading him up with-vitamin C for a few wks b4 school. Oh well.
He is also out of Concerta and very sleepy. I am picking up a scrip today.
The good news is, he's eating a lot more.
The bad news is, he's still eating in the middle of the night.

 

[DammitJanet]

Terry...you need to put a rule into place for school issues this year about being sick and missing school or he is just going to repeat what has gone on forever.

I would do the thing so many of us have done: He has to go to school unless he is vomiting (you must witness), fever over 99.9, bleeding profusely, or broken bones.

Obviously you can and will make adjustments as needed but...he needs to think you wont. Eventually the schools will get tired of this and truancy will get involved.

 

[InsaneCdn]

I'm not as familiar with the history... but messing around with medications is enough to throw a whole person out of whack. Concerta is not as vital as some... but it is NOT recommended to stop the drug quickly. Being out out of it for a few days - could be that simple.

 

[DammitJanet]

I will let Terry explain why I said what I said. I doubt its the medication though considering his prior history.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Old psychiatrist used to say... don't go muddying the waters in the middle of a medications issue. In other words - if you know there's a medications problem, deal with that first before making other changes.

These kids CAN do 180 turns almost without any hint of a reason... I'd keep your advice as "back pocket" - get the medications back on track, and THEN if he pulls this again, it becomes time to go BOOM. But I would be wary of going BOOM if it really isn't something he can control. Because... I've done it both ways... and now I'm sticking with the old psychiatrist's advice.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Terry,

I agree with Janet. My difficult child used to try and pull this on a regular basis. Either in the morning or a phone call from school. I used to give in. Then I realized that I was setting him up for failure in the future. If he had a job and didn't go in every time he had a little sniffle, a headache, a sore side, allergy issues, etc., he wouldn't have that job for very long. What about if he decided to go away to college - he wouldn't attend class at least 50% of the time!

difficult child knows now that fever and vomiting are stay at home symtoms. Now, that doesn't mean that every now and then he doesn't gets a "mental" day - usually once or twice a school year - but he now realizes that I'm not buying it so he best stop selling!

Seriously, I think you need to have a heavier hand this school year when it comes to "sick" days.

Sharon

 

[susiestar]

I have to agree with Janet and LDM. Too much in your difficult child's history says this is NOT a medication reaction. Is there a possibility that there is anxiety helping drive this issue? If so, how do you get the doctor to treat the anxiety?

If he won't go, and has none of Janet's symptoms, then call the school resource officer. They will usually come and get very insistent and make it so unpleasant that difficult child will not want it to happen again. If the resource officer won't/can't come, call the reg cops - they can do the same thing usually.

 

[TerryJ2]

Coincidentally, I've got a 504 mtng today so we will address the issue ... with-o him. He flipped out 2 wks ago when I told him we were having a 504. Said (shouted) he didn't need it and didn't want to be singled out. I asked if we should meet and talk about him behind his back and he said yes. Go figure.

The landscapers are here ... when the owner shows up, I'm nabbing him to help me with-difficult child. difficult child says he's got a stomach ache and gets waves of tiredness. Uh, yeah, I do that all the time on broken sleep. I fight my way through it. He's got to learn.
I am getting depressed. It feels like summer again, and that's not a good thing. I. Can't. Get. Anything. Done.
Mom. MOM. Moooooommmmmm. I'm hungry. Mom. MOM. Moooommm.
He can't just say it once. He's like Sheldon, knocking on the door: Penny. Penny. Penny.
Only it's not funny with-difficult child.
Thanks for listening.
P.S. difficult child did math today, thinking he'd get computer privileges. Nope. That was HIS plan, not mine. Yup, he's creating a bad habit.
Sneaky little devil.