He is really trying hard. Wrestling has been wonderful for him even though he hasn't won even a single round. He is a great sport about it.
A couple of things recently that really made me proud:
*This weekend we were at a family Christmas party in Michigan and he was so well behaved others were commenting on it!
*At the party one of his cousin's punched a little cousin and difficult child told him he shouldn't be doing that so he punched difficult child. Instead of punching him back or screaming at him difficult child just took the little cousin who was crying upstairs to his mom.
*Also at the party, one of the little cousins got into the game closet and accidentally broke a light bulb. difficult child picked up all the glass he could find so none of the littles would get hurt.
*On the car ride to and from Michigan easy child/difficult child was being a major PITA and difficult child really either ignored or talked to us about it.
*Last night at practice they had a "secret singlet" person they were to buy a small $10.00 gift for. difficult child only received 5 mint lifesavers and took it all in stride. I could tell he was disappointed but he told us he graciously said thank you. We talked about it and said maybe the other person couldn't afford more and difficult child was totally o.k. with it-even offered us one of his mints. He did show us a poem his secret singlet partner wrote about him and it was really sweet. On the bottom it said that difficult child inspired him to write the song because difficult child had sung one for him.
As always, difficult child is still very much a difficult child but these "moments" have given me hope that things are heading in the right direction. I just never would have believed a few years ago this was possible. He was so violent and had been hospitalized so many times. Although he has always had a good heart things were very bleak. (O.k. enough already-hopefully I haven't jinxed myself too much.)
A couple of things recently that really made me proud:
*This weekend we were at a family Christmas party in Michigan and he was so well behaved others were commenting on it!
*At the party one of his cousin's punched a little cousin and difficult child told him he shouldn't be doing that so he punched difficult child. Instead of punching him back or screaming at him difficult child just took the little cousin who was crying upstairs to his mom.
*Also at the party, one of the little cousins got into the game closet and accidentally broke a light bulb. difficult child picked up all the glass he could find so none of the littles would get hurt.
*On the car ride to and from Michigan easy child/difficult child was being a major PITA and difficult child really either ignored or talked to us about it.
*Last night at practice they had a "secret singlet" person they were to buy a small $10.00 gift for. difficult child only received 5 mint lifesavers and took it all in stride. I could tell he was disappointed but he told us he graciously said thank you. We talked about it and said maybe the other person couldn't afford more and difficult child was totally o.k. with it-even offered us one of his mints. He did show us a poem his secret singlet partner wrote about him and it was really sweet. On the bottom it said that difficult child inspired him to write the song because difficult child had sung one for him.
As always, difficult child is still very much a difficult child but these "moments" have given me hope that things are heading in the right direction. I just never would have believed a few years ago this was possible. He was so violent and had been hospitalized so many times. Although he has always had a good heart things were very bleak. (O.k. enough already-hopefully I haven't jinxed myself too much.)
