The Public Opinion Soapbox

AnonyMouse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 455

I've seen TSSs be a big help to kids in school. And at home. Good luck.

mymouth · Joined: 27 Mar 2008 Posts: 28 Location: C-burg

Hi I am coming out of lurking mode to wish you good luck

I have a now 25 YO son who had many problems with stays in physciatric hospitals since he was very young mostly because of behavior problems due to his ADHD.

We used a TSS in both school and home and it was a godsend. Just make sure you don't feel as though you have to entertain your TSS they are there to help you and don't/ shouldn't judge you on your entertaining abilities or the cleanlieness of your home. Just go into a room and try to relax, watch TV or read.

But they aren't there to babysit.

OH and make sure you have one that knows how to entertain your child. When I had the TSS' I had one that did nothing but sit around. I complained and they sent another. Make sure you say something to someone if they don't have some type of activity planned. It doesn't have to be a big activity it can be something simple. I am just saying they shouldn't be sitting around watching MTV or something

And it is great to have one in school

I still see two of my sons TSS' from time to time when out shopping etc and we still stand and talk and they ask about him so I was very lucky to have two that really cared!!

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 2859 Location: Chambersburg

Erm.

They come to your house?

Do they have to?

Ugh. Now I don't feel good.

Glad you delurked though! Welcome to the forum!! (The posting part of it! Wink

) Stick around and harass people, it's fun!
...except when/if you're harassing me---then I'll weep into my hankie. Crying or Very sad

_________________
I demand euphoria!

QueenofHearts · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 366

Chel, I sent you a PM.

Hi! Everyone else!

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1963 Location: shippensburg

hi queen

mymouth · Joined: 27 Mar 2008 Posts: 28 Location: C-burg

thanks for the welcome

No they don't have to come to your house.

I was very resistant at first to letting them do that. But I decided to give it a try and I was glad because it did give me a break and some relief.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 2859 Location: Chambersburg

Update:

We were progressing through the county program and school evaluation when my baby woke up one Monday morning with a bald spot.

our conversation went a little like this:

"I was combing my hair and, Mom, I have a bald spot."
(I was on the phone talking to the doctor's office and admittedly wasn't paying attention at first) "You are not going bald, it just looks that way because of how you've slicked your hair down. Comb it another way"
"Okay" five minutes later, I'm still on the phone, on hold.
"I don't want to eat breakfast."
"Well, you have to eat breakfast, you need the energy, it's brain food and besides you need to OMG!! What did you do to your head?!"
"Nothing"
"Don't say nothing, you've clearly done something, you have a bald patch!"
"You said I didn't have a bald spot..."
"Well, I was wrong! Why did you cut your hair?! I told you we were going to get you a haircut when there was time!!"
"I didn't!!"
"You did something!"
"No! I didn't cut my hair!"
pause "Did you shave your head?"
"NO!"
"What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything! Why don't you believe me? You never believe me!"
"You don't just wake up one morning missing a patch of hair! SOMETHING happened!"
...
(staring match)
...
the boy looks away
"I need to know what happened."
"Well, I couldn't get to sleep..."
"So I pulled out some hair."
"Well, I can't imagine THAT helped you fall asleep. We're going to have to shave your head."

So, the boy got his head shaved and we scheduled some therapist and psychiatrist's appointments we had put off for awhile.

That was a little over four weeks ago. Since then he was referred and started at The Meadows partial program over on Eighth Street.
Monday through Friday he is picked up. They have an hour of academics in the morning and an hour in the afternoon and in-between they work on anger management, self-control, stress release, social interactions, etc through art therapy and other methods. Every morning they have a community meeting, where the group of, maybe, thirteen children discuss their goings on. On Tuesdays a psychiatrist is present for evaluations. He is dropped off at 1:50 pm and even though they don't have a summer (he will leave the program when ready and there are no 'vacations') he is so happy.

Er, was. Now, he's harassing me and a little sulky.

After two weeks, our insurance is being stupid. I did not apply for Access right away, as I should have. Since the boy has a diagnosis, he automatically qualifies, regardless of our income.

Learned my lesson. Applied for Access on Monday and now we sit at home and wait for news from either Access or our insurance.
(The program costs a couple hundred a day, which is a little out of our budget Confused

so we decided to keep him home Tuesday and Wed. (today)

sigh.

So....CASD psychologist has done her evaluation and I guess I'll try to contact her soon and I need to update Franklin County Services as to what is going on.
No one suspects learning disabilities, despite the fact he has ADHD he performs well, when he chooses to perform, that is. But he definitely is lacking in the social interaction and self-control departments. No firm diagnosis has been told as of yet, to me, but numerous suspicions that I am trying not to think too much about, until I get a definite one way or another.

I see it like this, he hasn't changed overnight; still the same kid I've always known and we are trying not to act too different. I have noticed I've been a little more indulgent than I used to. Confused

Trying not to do that.

oh and he still has areas where the hair isn't growing back.
_________________
I demand euphoria!

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 2859 Location: Chambersburg

Discounting the extreme nature of my story, I know the rest of you have problems too!

The Cleavers don't live in Franklin County!

Let it out.

Vent a little.

It's okay... you're safe here. Smile

_________________
I demand euphoria!

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1963 Location: shippensburg

i've just been stressed and that makes me cranky. my aunt broke her arm. um. my cat won't stop scratching the to two and bottom one steps of my newly redecorated hallway (going to petco for cat nail clippers and may consider trying the doublesided tape on carpet treads a while). i'm covering the other profs classes while he's away. my wow buddy Q is taking a wow break and i miss playing with him, but i have the other guildies so that ok. i stood up in defiance of tv dinners today and am eating out as a treat since these past 3 weeks have been sucky.

i'm sorry about your boy, chel....but i'm a firm believer that things have a way of working out.

any one out there know of any astrological reason for my bad 3 weeks. it would make me feel better to know if there was a cosmic reason for this crap.

haha.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 2859 Location: Chambersburg

I believe you said before you were a Gemini, I don't much about this, but here you go.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 2859 Location: Chambersburg

OMGee, She is such teh liar!!

Never mind, Cookie, don't listen to her! My pockets are empty! (though I did actually get some child support this month...hmmmm.) Wink

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1963 Location: shippensburg

gemini....yup that's me Very Happy

hum....the twelfth house of solitude. sounds like a book. hehe

monday may 12 was def not a lucky day... LIARS! hahahaha!!!

*giggle* you said uranus.

/insert beavis and butthead laughs here...hehe hehe....

mymouth · Joined: 27 Mar 2008 Posts: 28 Location: C-burg

Chel Try to get SSI for him (social security ) They don't do anything based on income, because this is solely based on him and his needs, and he probably qualifies with what he has. That diagnosis is considered a disabitly. This will help pay for any extras that are needed.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 2859 Location: Chambersburg

I was considering it, MyMouth, but I wasn't sure. Based on your post I will definitely apply.

He was able to re-enter the program yesterday.(Thank Goodness!) His behavior went downhill during the day and when I read the sheet (there are daily tracking charts that come home and are returned each day) I knew I was in for it last night.
He isn't a bad kid he's just...exhausting. I mean he's argumentative, especially with his peers, but at home we have to worry more about him hoarding food (little stockpiles of snack food all over the house) misusing stuff and passive defiance (just not doing what he's told.)

It's crazy because I see children in stores throwing total fits and mouthing off at the top of their lungs and 'the boy' isn't like that at all...So why the heck are those parents less tired than I am?! Laughing

I don't have the skills I guess!

I made the mistake of letting him read an article about his school in the paper (he went to Sharpe and the head teacher has been dying her hair this week due to fund raising challenges) When he found out he was going to miss out on the rewards he pitched a fit.
Bad moods hang on him for awhile, he isn't able to shake things off.

So, now I've messed him up for at least another day...ugh!

Stick to cats, Sugar Cookie!
_________________
I demand euphoria!

mymouth · Joined: 27 Mar 2008 Posts: 28 Location: C-burg

Chel don't be so hard on yourself.

You have the skills! You have gotten this far and you will go farther.

We are never given more than we can handle.

Hoarding food? Maybe??.... some OCD too??

And you didn't mess him up. If it hadn't been reading the paper it could have been something else.