Today we dodged a huge legal bullet. A few weeks ago, my son was arrested for third degree aggravated assault (against a police officer) and resisting arrest – all because he refused to leave my home after he had another one of his emotional rants towards me. I had called the police that night to […]
I rode on a horse for the first time in my life the other day. I wanted to do it for several reasons – I’ve never really been around animals much, I wanted to do something new and different, and I wanted to understand the connection between the human spirit and that of a horse’s. […]
When it comes to parenting a child with mental health issues, I think I’ve been through it all. Multiple school expulsions, stigmas about me & my son, family estrangement, psychiatric evaluations, court battles with an incorrigible & non-existent co-parent, emergency room visits, in-patient psychiatric hospitalizations, anxiety-inducing medical bills (there will be a blog about that), […]
My son came back home several days ago, unexpectedly. The last week has been such a turbulent time for the two of us. One minute he wasn’t in my home because I couldn’t take any longer the weight of parenting a child with severe mental & emotional issues. Then the next minute, he is back. […]
Two days ago, I couldn’t take it anymore. I was listening to music that, for whatever reason, triggered a reaction from my son, starting up an argument. For those who follow my blog, you know that my son is diagnosed with ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) and mood disorder – disruptive mood dysregulation disorder to be […]
In my Tips For Parenting Oppositional Defiant Disorder – part 2, I talked about the skills (awareness, patience) critical to managing and surviving extremely trying interactions with someone who is deeply & firmly oppositional. For anyone who is raising a child diagnosed with ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) or any severe behavioral issue, you know the […]
My son is currently a junior in high school. It is spring semester and he is currently being home schooled by a district approved teacher. He is receiving only 10 hours of instruction each week. His last placement, a therapeutic school, did not work out. He was there for only a year. Despite providing the […]
“…you are an exceptional parent – because you have been called on to be the only person capable and necessary to handle the colossal responsibility of raising a child with mental health issues.” This encapsulates all of the emotions and thoughts that I felt this past weekend. My son had another emotional episode in which […]
Not everyone has the will power to handle people who are obstinate and rigid. My son’s father is one of them. Interestingly, he too is an incredibly rigid person. For the last nearly three years, he has relinquished all of his parental responsibilities and rights for a number of reasons; one of which is the […]
My son’s father has done what seems to now be irreparable damage to my son and to my relationship with my son. He has physically and emotionally abused my son. The two have the same personality type – rigid, difficult and combative. His father is idiotically rigid; his way was the only way even if […]
You're Not A Bad Parent 