Update on Alex

I've been focused on Joseph so much of late that I've not talked much about Alex.

Alex has been having great days at school about 80-90% of the time. They have not expected him to do all of the grade level work in math and are substituting work that is more appropriate for him at this time, and it seems to have helped him throughout the entire school day.

I worry about him if (or when) we move. I think it will be hard for him to start in a new school. He is just now getting comfortable in a new grade. But, I also don't think we will stay here for middle school and high school, so maybe it is best to make the adjustments now.

I think I'll always be worried about my dear A-bear. But his smile, and his enthusiasm, and his charm will carry him.

I've been working on the "currency" that motivates him ever since Sarah blogged about knowing your "child's currency." We hvae been doing a sticker chart, and it is starting to help. I've exchanged stickers for cold, hard, cash at the end of the week. That has worked, but not as well as I would like. Money doesn't really motivate him. Sadly, it seems that television is the most consistent motivation for him. He was willing to trade extra days of being grounded from friends for not being grounded from television last weekend. (I can't even remember what he had done that caused me to ground him from friends... ) And after yet another episode of food in the bedroom at night, and another mess with peanut butter on the sheet and blanket and carpet (argh!!!) I told him no TV for a day anytime he takes food out of the kitchen. (I've not forbid him from coming downstairs in the middle of the night to eat, just forbid him from taking food out of the kitchen...) So he had no TV yesterday. This morning, with no food in the bedroom, he proudly announced "I get to watch TV today!"