I must be stupid.

[gcvmom]

difficult child 1 clearly behaves as if I am.

I put the cord lock back on his TV last weekend because of his beligerence towards pretty much the whole family. He was mouthy and swearing and slamming things. He was extremely irritable and the smallest things would set him off into an explosive rant. I emailed the psychiatrist asking for help, but we haven't gotten anything concrete yet.

Tonight I went in to check on his homework progress since he'd told his dad he finished everything, and I've learned not to believe the first thing out of his mouth because it's usually just what he thinks you want to hear instead of the truth.

Sure enough the homework was NOT finished. AND. AND... THE TV WAS ON!!! I asked him how he was able to plug it in, and he confessed to having taken a screwdriver to the plug lock and prying it off. He broke the plastic housing to it. I am so mad I could spit. I am so mad, I told him not only does he owe me the money to replace the lock (he's still working off his 1-800-Hoochie Girl Talk debt) but the TV is coming out of the room. Period. I told husband to get it out of there NOW.

It's so sad because the past two days he was doing really well, his mood seemed better, he was not shutting down when he needed help with his homework, he was polite to everyone at home...

I think he's depressed. Especially when he tells me that being on the lacrosse team is the only thing that gets him through the school day. Ugh.

Now he's moping around and pouting and he closed his door really hard. It's after 9. He's not finished with homework. I just don't know what to do with him. I sure hope the psychiatrist gets a better idea of what to do. And soon. I hate this.

 

[Shari]

First and foremost, he's wrong. You are NOT stupid. I have decided teenage attitude is God's way of making us happy to get rid of our young...otherwise, they'l live at home forever.

I don't really have any advice. Glad you ditched the tv. MO is a long ways away, but we like to handle lying with shoveling poop. We deem them about on the same level around here....but cgfg still lies like a cur dog, so I can't say it actually works. Makes me feel better. So feel free to send him this way. I have a stall full, and a shovel at the ready.​

 

[gcvmom]

Ooooh! Be careful what you ask for I could have him on a bus tomorrow...

 

[HaoZi]

I'm reminded of a shirt I got a co-worker with two teens long ago - "Mothers of teenagers know why animals eat their young."

 

[smallworld]

I think his medication combo could be contributing to the issue.

Tegretol works better on mania than depression and can push the mood down. It may be depressing him.
Stimulants like Daytrana and Focalin can depress over time.
Strattera can cause irritability and anger as a side effect.
Remeron? Weren't you worried that it was causing side effects that weren't positive?

In your shoes, I would think about stripping down as many medications as possible and starting over. I personally don't think this medication comb is working.

 

[gcvmom]

I need that shirt!

SW you may be right. psychiatrist got back to me last night and said to pull the Strattera as he thinks it's affecting the Tegretol. I still am not convinced Tegretol is the right medication for difficult child 1. And I don't know what the Remeron is doing at this point. I'm giving it until Sunday night and then I plan to report back to the psychiatrist. I hope that's enough time to see some changes.

In the past, this kid got so anxious (I think) that he would shut down and nothing got done. Lately it seems he's more depressed, unmotivated and irritable, although I think the anxiety is there. He spun in circles Monday night over a lang arts assignment. I was able to help him get it started but he still had trouble even after that. Last night he flat out refused to finish the rest of his work because of the TV incident.

husband just takes it all in stride and says things could be worse. Great. I know they could be worse, but dang it -- I want things to be better because I know they CAN be!