Hurray for our Kids

The LAST day of October. Then we fly right into the busiest time of year. With Christmas only a couple of months away and high school swim team starting at our house it gets pretty hectic. Add in grad school for me and it is a whirl wind. We still need to stop and smell the roses, take care of our healthy relationships and look for the gifts God has given us.

Eagle: Is looking for a second job to help make ends meet. She is hanging in there!

Dancer: Has been involved in several volunteer programs at her school and is looking at a great summer opportunity that would work to help others while giving her some great social services experience.

Bear: Is feeling much better. But it is H1N1 so we are being careful. He was actually a pretty nice guy while he was sick. He is feeling better today so I see the old habits creeping back but we'll work on it. It was inspiring to see the sweetness under there.

Fish: Has a swim meet today and is PUMPED! I am home with the sick child so look forward to hearing about it when they get back!

Taz: We watched The Boy in Striped Pajamas last night. I had no idea it was going to be so sad. Taz had read the book. When it got to the part with the tragic ending he got up and left before it came on. Does that sound like RAD to you? Not at all. Wonderful to see him developing a tender heart.

Have a glorious weekend. Don't forget to set your clocks back tonight!

Hurray for our Kids

What a week!! Life is ever changing and always on the go isn't it? I guess there is no reason to be bored!!

Our week in a nut shell.

Eagle: Seems to be doing well and is happy in her life out on her own.

Dancer: Seems happy with having changed her major to Sociology/Social Work and is doing well in classes.

Fish: I SO conscientious about his grades. I appreciate that.

Bear: Did finally admit he might need some help with math if he is going to pass the exam to get into the army in the spring. We'll see if he will accept the help now.

Taz: Great IEP. Has been very affectionate this week which moms always love!!

How was your week? No matter how bad it got, look for the good in your life and in your child's life. It may be hidden away but it is there.

Hurray for our kids

I have not done this for awhile and think it is good for me. I need to realize that all of our kids have done some things this week worth shouting about if I just take a look.

Eagle: Is working and taking care of herself out on her own now. Such a weird feeling for us all.

Dancer: Has really been contemplating her major and has changed to a sociology major with a social work minor. She wants to do something that helps people.

Fish: Has all As currently online. I love the ability to check their grades on line.

Bear: Really wants to go into the army. He has never really wanted anything before so it is great to see him with a goal.

Taz: Is latching onto the choir at school. His ability to stay on pitch has improved so much over one month it is really exciting to listen.

How about you? If you contemplate long enough can you see the good things happening in your kids lives? Have a healing weekend.

Hurray for our Kids

Eagle: Just landed her first full time job as an office manager for a small company in another town. She leaves tomorrow and starts Monday. She'll be staying with relatives while she looks for a place to live.

Dancer: Finished camp yesterday and will be home on Monday for a week before going back to college.

Fish: Is enjoying some leisurely time after swimming/missions trip and his summer business.

Bear: Has decided he wants to join the army. I took him to a recruiter the other day and we chatted. He needs to work on his algebra to pass the entrance exam. We will see. I hope it works for him.

Taz: Has started a new medication that seems to be helping. That is a whole post in itself!

Have a glorious weekend. We are taking Eagle out for dinner and a movie. We bought her the traditional housewarming plant and found a pot with the name of our town on it!! It was from our towns bicentennial.

Hurray for our kids!

Eagle~ went to her college and took an exam. She is so close to graduating we can all feel it!

Dancer~ Is working away at camp. We look forward to seeing her over the 4th

Fish~ Works so hard at his swimming. He is swimming in an 800 yd race today. Eeeek.

Bear~ Is making a card for his Dad for Father's Day without any prodding from me.

Taz~ Has been very affectionate.

Remember to search for the good in your child!

Hurray for our Kids!

What a week! Taking three classes was not a great idea. If you decide to go back for a master's degree DON'T TAKE THREE CLASSES at once. Just sayin'

Hurray for our kids!

Eagle: Is doggie sitting to earn some extra money. She is expanding her job search to further out.

Dancer: Finisihed her week of training to work for a camp for the summer

Fish:Received straight A's on his last grade card.

Bear: Has been learning to hold his tongue.

Taz: Significantly raised his grades!

I hope you had a great week. If not, I hope you can see a little good in each family member!

Hurray for our kids!

Eagle: Keeps plugging away at her college courses. The end is near!

Dancer: Left for summer to work at a camp.

Fish: Helped with VBS this week

Bear: Lord help me.......cleaned his room.

Taz: Is finally slowly coming back down to the planet. He has his volunteer job at the library today.

Have a healing weekend~

Random thoughts on RAD

I was reading some of your comments last night and it really made me think....you guys are awesome by the way.

If I KNOW that change is difficult for my kids and then they go back in to fight/flight/freeze mode when change occurs why am I making the change more difficult????? Yes. We have a set schedule. That has been good. But I already have activities planned for afternoons. Remember when the kids first come to your house? We work hard at making their world's very small. We want them to know we are different than other people so we keep them home with us as much as possible at first. I'm thinking that should have been my immediate plan for school letting out for the summer. Stay home the first few days and adjust. Yes. They would still be explosive but it is much easier to work on their anxiety and fear at home then out and about. I'm thinking there would be less of it. I think we will spend a great deal of time at home the next 3 days and consider this the adjustment period.

They need constant reassurance. "You are safe." "I am not leaving." "No one is taking you away." "I love you forever." They need boundaries. "That is not OK to say to your brother. It hurt his feelings. You'll need to empty the trash for him today to make it up to him." That sort of thing. Go to the library and get them a boat load of books. Pick one to read together! Play basketball in the driveway. Go on walks around the neighborhood. Clean together. Plant a garden. Play board games. Together is the key and close to home, in my humble mom opinion.

If you do not yet have an oasis, for many years my oasis was the bathroom. It is the only place I could go lock the door for a few minutes and breath. Take a magazine and a cup of coffee. Light a candle and take a bath. It may be a small oasis but it can still be one.

Hurray for our Kids

This week:

Eagle has a job interview this coming week!

Dancer is home for a few days.

Fish has helped me out with Taz a couple of times when I needed it.

Bear is dong his chores without complaining.

Taz still has those sweet moments when he comes back to me.

Have a great memorial day weekend!

Hurray for our Kids!

It is graduation weekend in our little town. Congratulations Seniors!!

This week was mega tough. I am determined to keep doing this.

Eagle: has a job interview Monday! YEAHHHH!

Dancer: Had her summer job confirmed and is doing some training this week.

Fish: Is being very responsible about letting me know which graduation parties he is attending, when and where.

Bear: Has a summer job lined up through a special program for kids with an IEP!

Taz: Is signed up to help with the summer reading program at our library and is excited about it!
Have a healing weekend!

Hurray for our kids

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Tough week for this. Going to do it anyway.....

Eagle: Had a job interview but didn't get the job. Has a great attitude and is working on her next plan of action with an employment agency.

Dancer: Haven't actually heard much from her this week. I need to give the girl a call!

Fish: Did something wrong and went to the adult involved and told them and then apologized. That is a man.

Bear: Is catching back up on some school work and so has raised a grade that was low.

Taz: Is doing a good job of getting his school work done at school so he doesn't have so much homework.

Hurray for our kids

One month of school left!!! We are excited around here because this is our last year of middle school. I found that the 12-14 age have been so difficult for me to deal with and am thrilled to be moving on. All 3 of our boys will be in high school next year. Dancer will be a jr in college. Eagle will be working and living on her own. Here is how our week went.

Eagle: Had a difficult job/interview situation and handled it like a pro.

Dancer: Has found a summer job!

Fish: Has picked out colleges to visit next year and is very excited about them.

Bear: Has a couple of job applications filled out that we will deliver this afternoon.

Taz: Has been getting his work done at school so hasn't had so much homework.

Hurray for our kids

Happy Easter! We are having beautiful spring like weather in Nebraska today! It lifts the mood. I plan on going on a long walk this afternoon! So what positives have you seen in your kids this week.

Taz: He is my challenge this week.....He has asked for hugs a couple of times

Bear: Continues to raise the grades for which I am thankful.

Fish: Just does what he is supposed to do when he is supposed to do it. That is big when you are struggling with others

Dancer: Is home for Easter!!! She is encouraging!

Eagle: Continues to work hard on her studies and on looking for a job. Such determination!

I know some of you have had tremendous struggles the last few days. If you just can't think of anything about some of them rejoice in the positives of other family members!

A positive thing I have done for myself lately is joining Facebook. I don't talk about my own kids RAD or other problems on there because I am friends with some of the teens in town that know my kids. I am happy to discuss things going on with your own kids though. I have made a photo page on there called Family with the heading Finding Joy in every day. I have become a photo hound and take photos many times during the week when fun activity is going on with any family member. I have found that it 1) makes the event even more fun 2) has caused me to realize how much fun we do have and seek out more opportunities 3) post photos on Facebook that my kids share with their friends and then they too realize we are having fun together!

Hurray for our Kids

Eagle: Had another job interview this week and has applied for several more. The girl keeps plugging away!

Dancer: Is coming home for Easter! YES!

Fish: Won second place in a math contest at school

Bear: Is raising his grades

Taz: Has a good heart to heart talk with me the other night.

Hurray for our kids

Time to think of some positives about our kids. Realize I am doing this while Taz and Bear are screaming and yelling at each other. In fact... I better go lower this down a notch and come back.

OK. Stopped for now. Where was I? Oh Positive things about our kids. Here we go.

Taz: Has worked very hard and doing some sweet things for me this week and showing me love. Just this morning he started going into a rage..stopped himself and gave me a hug and said he was sorry.

Bear: Caught up on all his work at school. YEAH!

Fish: Has been working hard at getting all his chores done without me asking.

Dancer: Is worked so hard at finding a summer job. Too early for any answers yet but she sure filled out a lot of applications.

Eagle: Didn't get the job from the interview earlier this week but still keeps on plugging onward! The job market stinks!

How was your week?

Hurray for our Kids

My good friend B reminded me I have not done this for awhile. It was not intentional I just kind of wandered away from it. For those who are newer, we list positive things that have happened in our kids lives over the last week. It is easy with RAD to get caught into a pattern of thinking negatively. If we look we will see there are positives too.

Eagle: Has a job interview today! Made some VERY mature decisions regarding a boy.

Dancer: Is home for spring break! YEAH. She is going summer job hunting today.

Fish: Continues to be cooperative in picking up and delivering siblings when needed.

Bear: Has started sitting with Fish at lunch instead of with kids with whom he will get into trouble.

Taz: Has been very helpful around the house lately.

So, what positive has happened in your child's life over the last week? If you don't want to share I hope you will make a mental list.

Hurray for our kids!

Well another tough week. I need to look for the good though. How about you? Can you think of at least small positive about your child? It is terrible to sometimes say "no". But that is what RAD does to a child.

Eagle: Is going to job interviews last week and this week. She is having to work hard with the economy the way it is and she is going to do it!

Dancer: Is already home for Thanksgiving! Hurray! She has some neat Christmas ideas I will share another time.

Bear: Has been willing to read his social story we wrote about saying goodbye to birth mom almost every day. I appreciate his willingness.

Fish: Has officially started high school swim season. Life is about to be very busy for him.

Taz: Actually had a pretty tough week now that I stop and reflect. He did do the dishes one day when it was not his turn.

Have a great weekend! Have a healing day!

Hurray for our Kids!

That's right it is time for some praise and good thoughts about our kids. Some weeks it is tough. Doesn't matter! We NEED to do it. We need to look for progress. If we don't see progress we look for signs. If we don't see signs we find something good. If we can't find something good we need to reexamine our attitudes be cause there is something good to be said about all our children. Look harder!

Eagle: Finished a MAJOR project at school that took hours every day.

Dancer: Called to talk about her transferring back to the area and setting up some visits over Thanksgiving. It will be awesome!

Fish: Is in the high school musical this weekend Bye Bye Birdie!

Bear: Before the grade cards came out he managed to pull a D up to a C. I was glad for that!

Taz: Well, I have something sweet about him I will post tomorrow but he passed out candy to all the little kids last night and did a great job.

Have a great weekend. We are having fantabulous weather here in Nebraska!

Hurray for our kids!

Eagle: Is doing well. It is hard to always pick a specific thing for her when she is 7 1/2 hours away.

Dancer: Is home for the weekend.

Fish: Had all As on his progress report

Bear: Worked out some things with teachers to raise his grades.

Taz: has helped me scrub grout this week voluntarily.

Have a great weekend. Go Big Red!

Hurray for our kids!!

What a week! But here goes anyway!

Eagle: Is my new accountability buddy for diet
Dancer: Is coming home next weekend! YEAH
Fish: Went to his first dance last night.
Bear: Showed feelings.
Taz: Was very attentive when I had my foot surgery.

Have a great weekend.

Hurray for our kids!

I have to leave at 6:30 am for a field experience for my Multicultural counseling class. We are going to the Winnebego Reservation. So I am blogging the night before!

Eagle: Has been calling a lot this week. I love that.
Dancer: Has been calling a lot too. I am loving the attention.
Fish: Has been so thoughtful and considerate this week. He usually is, but has been more so.
Bear: Raised his Foods class grade.
Taz: Has been going with me on the Multicultural field experiences. He loves learning.

Have a GREAT weekend. And look for positives. I find no matter how rough things are I can find something.