CAmom
Member
Our son FINALLY made his status at his Residential Treatment Center (RTC) and earned a visit home for the weekend. In his group home, he's had the chance to come home every other weekend from day one, but, other than a five-day pass over Thanksgiving, it's taken him the five months since then to get serious about the program, modify his behavior, etc., in order to earn a pass.
The OLD me wants to stock up his fridge, take him out shopping, call all the family for a BBQ, and generally celebrate him being home.
The NEW me is hesitating, because, let's face it, he is NOT the prodigal son returning home for, say, a college break--he's in an Residential Treatment Center (RTC).
While we want to reward the good progress he's made to get to this point, because it's been a real challenge for him, impulsive as he is, to take control of his behavior, particularly his mouth, which is what gets him into most of his trouble, we also don't want to give him the impression that everyone has been pining for him and are going to drop everything because HE decided to earn a visit.
There must be a middle ground between gushing over him being home and being so blasé as to make him feel as though we really aren't that thrilled to have him home.
Suggestions?
The OLD me wants to stock up his fridge, take him out shopping, call all the family for a BBQ, and generally celebrate him being home.
The NEW me is hesitating, because, let's face it, he is NOT the prodigal son returning home for, say, a college break--he's in an Residential Treatment Center (RTC).
While we want to reward the good progress he's made to get to this point, because it's been a real challenge for him, impulsive as he is, to take control of his behavior, particularly his mouth, which is what gets him into most of his trouble, we also don't want to give him the impression that everyone has been pining for him and are going to drop everything because HE decided to earn a visit.
There must be a middle ground between gushing over him being home and being so blasé as to make him feel as though we really aren't that thrilled to have him home.
Suggestions?