MaryPies
New Member
Hello, this is my first post & I went looking online for help since I just don't know how to deal anymore. My son is 13, going into 8th grade. He's been diagnosed with ODD since 1st grade. He has weekly appointments with a behavioral psychologist & is not On any medications. He spent all of grade school in a behavior focused classroom. They recommend mainstreaming him for middle school, which was alright for the 1st year (6th grade). This past year he just fell apart; he was suspended too many times to count. His behavior is just complete disregard for any involvement in school; he will spend the entire day pretending to sleep or sneaking his phone to school. He is often in trouble for being disruptive in class, or saying outrageous things to get a rise out of people. He went from A's & B's last year to literally not completing a single assignment this year. He twice has been asked to leave class & had just laid down toddler temper tantrum style & the classroom had to be cleared.
At home he's generally a good kid. He certainly doesn't act like he does at school. However, he has On several occasions spent money online for video games without permission; he went into my purse & took my debit card. We had a big argument after his last happened & he barricaded himself in his room when I tried to take away his electronics. There haven't been any big changes in his life (moving, death in the family, ect).
After several IEP's the district decided to send him to a special school next year that is "full time behavior focused". I am so worried; we live in a mid sized city & this new school is on the opposite side of town - nearly an hour drive in traffic. He is not violent, but I know there will be kids there that are. I get the impression the school is more for juvenile delinquents than for kids with behavioral disability. I feel like the teachers are scared of him; he is very big for his age at 5'8" & husky.
I just don't know what I can do to help him anymore . I'm an only parent (his father walked out when my son was an infant, never to be heard from again). I can't afford a private school & home schooling isn't an option. Even the psychologist is a strain on my budget, but I make "too much money" for any kind of assistance (I make less than 2 parents with minimum wage jobs).
Sorry for the long post, I just needed to vent & I really don't know where to turn.
At home he's generally a good kid. He certainly doesn't act like he does at school. However, he has On several occasions spent money online for video games without permission; he went into my purse & took my debit card. We had a big argument after his last happened & he barricaded himself in his room when I tried to take away his electronics. There haven't been any big changes in his life (moving, death in the family, ect).
After several IEP's the district decided to send him to a special school next year that is "full time behavior focused". I am so worried; we live in a mid sized city & this new school is on the opposite side of town - nearly an hour drive in traffic. He is not violent, but I know there will be kids there that are. I get the impression the school is more for juvenile delinquents than for kids with behavioral disability. I feel like the teachers are scared of him; he is very big for his age at 5'8" & husky.
I just don't know what I can do to help him anymore . I'm an only parent (his father walked out when my son was an infant, never to be heard from again). I can't afford a private school & home schooling isn't an option. Even the psychologist is a strain on my budget, but I make "too much money" for any kind of assistance (I make less than 2 parents with minimum wage jobs).
Sorry for the long post, I just needed to vent & I really don't know where to turn.