I know better

[Sickntired]

I know better. I know this difficult child and what sets him off (geez, what doesn't). But it was spring break, time for fun. I know he has to have structure, but I thought surely he can handle a little freedom and non-routined things. He had been doing sooooo well. His mood was so stable and calm. Then came spring break - can I spend the night with so-n-so. Okay. Then, can I go to the mall, go skating, go to the movies, go "chill" with my friends, go, go, go. Then started noticing the mood slowly start to change, need for less sleep, restlessness, agitation and BOOM, back to where we were. He flipped back into the rude, defiant, hateful young man he can be. He actually had the nerve to ask if 5, count them 5, friends could spend the night!!! When I told him no, that was probably not a good idea, that he should just stay home that night and be with us for a change, so he announced to me, in front of a friend of his, "No, I will spend the night with Justin, because there is just no other way to say this, but I just don't like you all. You have to many rules." Well, my answer was well, there is just no other way to tell you this but NO. He has just been a holy terror since then. I am seriously thinking about taking a needle and thread and sewing his mouth shut. But the filth out of his mouth would probably melt the stitches!! Spring break is over and he was still calling around trying to find someone who would let him spend the night, on a school night at that. Tried to call his doctor to see what I could give him to calm him down, but his doctor's father passed away and lived in Lebanon, and he has gone to Lebanon until the end of April.

We have an appointment as soon as he returns, and I am going to seriously talk to him, again for the umpteenth time, about the possibility of bipolar. His moods were so calm when we took him off the stimulant and antidepressant and just gave him Zyprexa. No mood stabilizer yet, just taking zyprexa.

He has finally crashed tonight, first time since spring break began. He has done so much, with no routine, that he has just worn himself completely out. He fell asleep in a chair. I think I'll just leave sleeping dogs to lie tonight, in a chair.

 

[smallworld]

I'm so sorry you've had such a rough time. Our difficult children definitely do better with structure, that is for sure. Maybe now that spring break is over, your difficult child will get back into a good routine.

If he's doing better on just Zyprexa, I think it's wise that you bring up the idea of adding a mood stabilizer with the psychiatrist. With an MS on board, your difficult child may do better when his routine is interrupted.

 

[daralex]

Hey Jen,
So sorry difficult child had a meltdown! I am in full touch with the spring break madness! My difficult child has her social calendar occupied 24-7 and still hasn't packed for our out-of-state move in 4 days!!! She "stalks" kids so she can make plans - it's all rather sad.
At least you could see the transgression with difficult child and now know you may want to do things differently when he has time off. Just wait till summer comes!!! By the way Jen, I won't be to far from you. Maybe one day we can go for coffee and have a difficult child b**** session! Again, sorry this all tunred out to be such a mess!
-Dara

 

[sandman3]

Oh, I know we ALL know the feeling of trying to be a little loose with the schedules and let things relax and then regret it in the end. I for one am GUILTY of making that same mistake on many occasions! So sorry it ended up that way...

In fact, I'm glad you brought this up because my kids' Spring Break is NEXT WEEK and I just realized that this morning at our psychiatric appointment. EEEEEKKKKK! I need to so some serious schedule planning for my 3 boys to keep things hopefully "in check" for 10 DAYS! OH Lordy, I'm feeling the anxiety already.