ODD

Alex continues to challenge us. I finally read up on the internet about Oppositional Defiant Disorder. That's my boy. The statistics surrounding the disorder are pretty grim. However, maybe we will be one of the lucky families where the child eventually outgrows the symptoms. He is a classic case. He has the birth history, genetic disposition, moved around as a child, including being adopted by us at three. I found a checklist online for what to do. See links below. We have been doing about 75% of the items on the list pretty consistently. One item on the list that I have NOT done very well, since giving up the full-time 12 month job, is "Take TIme for Yourself." Especially the past week. He has been unable to go to camp or swimming because he has terrible diarrhea... So, he has been with me all day almost every day. Dave had him yesterday afternoon, and he came home again today and took him to the office for a few hours to give me a break... I'm already fragile because I gave up that job. Now I'm more fragile because I'm dealing with dear Alex.

FYI-- The episode today that put me over the edge... He took the mail and tore it up. Spread it on the yard, and even put some of it into the "swamp." The swamp is a wetland area on our property that is kind of disgusting, brackish water, not clean at all. Nothing like fishing half of an envelope from the insurance company with the words "Important information about your insurance policy" on the front from brackish, disgusting water to make the day a bit brighter.

Well, Alex is with Dave, and Joseph's tutor just arrived, so I'm out of here for a few hours. Hopefully, Dave can cope.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/oppositional-defiant-disorder/DS00630/DSECTION=lifestyle%2Dand%2Dhome%2Dremedies
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/oppositional-defiant-disorder/DS00630/DSECTION=coping%2Dand%2Dsupport