Day 3

Thursday did end up better, a little more cohesive and go with the flow. But it did not start out that way. The entire morning was spent in a fight over Math. The conversations we had were so crazy, I just don't get it. The math was too hard (it is the beginning of the G2 workbook and is entirely review) - what you can't count the number of pencils in the set? You can't write the number that comes before and after? (these were the thoughts that went through my head when she made these statements) Then she told me that she didn't know what before and after meant. I know that she was entirely trying to push my buttons so I just left her alone to do the work.

I spend way too much time arguing with her over these things. And she just wants to argue so she can procrastinate doing the work. Well, I have other children that need me too and want to do things. So, I told her to get it done and went to sit with K and Em. We got EM set up with her 'Magic' markers & paper (color wonder art set she got from Santa) K and I sat and read "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" by Dr. Seuss as we are working on her rhyming words. I like that I can sit in the Family Room with those two doing things and keep an eye on MB at the table.

I guess, MB figured that I wasn't going to argue anymore, because she finished her math about the time K and I were finishing her worksheet on same & different objects. It was close to lunch time so we all took a break and chilled out while I fixed lunch.

Once Em went down for her nap, we got back to business and MB was ready to go. K chose to play with the magnetix and I read the next chapter in "Around the World in 80 Days" while MB practiced her cursive letters. Then we pulled out the poem that MB is to memorize from FLL. I had typed it on the computer the night before - large letters and leaving white space for her to illustrate it. She was really into that. We read through it twice and then she illustrated - showing the full lifecycle of a butterfly. Once we were done we went through it again and this time she performed an impromptu dance to go along with the poem. By the time we had read through 5 or 6 times she was able to recite about 50% of it from memory.

I fixed my lunch and she read aloud to me from her reading book while I ate. By this point I was drained and Jr needed his lunch. We were finished with MB's assigned work for the day and a friend who was tracked out of school had called to see if MB could come over for the afternoon. K wanted to watch the 'Baby Art' DVD, which she has really been enjoying since our Art Museum visit last month. I got a chance to veg with a couple of knitting books I had picked up on my last library visit.

Today will be a shorter day as it is Friday and I have an appointment this afternoon. We have math, reading and science. We need to be done by lunch time because a hs friend is coming over with her children to watch the whole group while I go to an appointment at the kid's pediatricians office.

It, I hope will be an interesting and enlightening appointment. Our county mental health group has taken on a project to be more reachable and to better serve the children & adolescents in the area. On of those ways is by providing free services from the pediatricians offices so we don't have to go downtown. This isn't a therapy or drug type thing, although they do help with those services. It is really working with the parents to provide suggestions and recommendations (could be parenting/discipline strategies, classes or even recommendations for further testing). I am going in for MB. I feel like I am at the end of my rope with her.

During our holiday this path month I seriously considered going to down and enrolling her in school for the rest of the year. For totally selfish reasons - the house is so much calmer when she isn't here. And, I totally hate that I feel like that. I have started giving her melatonin some nights just so that she will sleep - otherwise she is still up at 1:00 am. I am really at a loss - we have done diet changes and behavior ladders and allowances. They all seem to work for a short time while they are new - then bam back to the attitude and temper tantrums. Now, she is constantly putting herself down; i'm stupid and no one loves me.

So, I am going in to talk to this person. See what she has to say. This month I am also taking MB in to have her eyes checked. She is far sighted, but not so much that it causes any problems on the basic eye exam. Unfortunately serious astigmatisms run in my family - and I just wonder if eye strain isn't causing some reading issues. Anyway, it is worth a check.

Anyway, something has to be done. I can't send her back to school in the shape she is in right now - I feel like in some regards we have gone backwards over the last 18 months.

Peace,

Amy