Daydreaming while waiting impatiently!

[tortoise]

Can you enter plants? My pumpkins would be nice!

My county has classes for houseplants, flowers, hostas, garden veggies, fruit, and crops. 😍

 

[tortoise]

We got our check from livestock auction. Sheep went LOW. Very, very low. 😬 DH is waiting for the online info to go up to see if ours were lower than average. Our lambs were large, average 106 pounds. We should have sold them in September when prices were higher.

DS14 is losing his mind. He didn't wait for the bus and decided to run/walk to school. 6 miles. And hitched a ride from a family friend. Apparently 2 days in a row. He lied to me about it yesterday. Then had a "lovely" conversation this morning with the principal about a problem with his computer use. He was pretty close to the point where low enforcement would be involved, and the school IT department is examining his computer use.

DS6 spent a 4-days weekend around DS14 and was unwilling too cooperate all morning.

So I still haven't gotten any work done. I'm taking a break to eat and try to chill out so I can focus on work this afternoon.

And by afternoon, I mean I have to go pick up DS14 at school in 2 hours. I have to pull him out of school before the bell rings so he doesn't get on the bus. He brings things home on the bus, stashes them somewhere between the road and house (1/4 mile) and then sneaks out after bed to get them. Last night it was his school computer and he was gaming on it until 2 a.m. My wifi router is has a quick connect button so he could connect without a password. I can't move the router. So the school computer is banned here. But I have to pick him up from school, examine his locker for stolen items. He is not allowed a backpack and I have to remove pockets from his clothes, if that gives you an idea of where he is at behaviorally.

 

[Cecilia's-life]

So the school computer is banned here.

The more you ban it the more he will want it. Take it from an alcoholic before the age 21. And a nicotine addict before 18. It won’t ever work.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh dang! I am unfortunately too familiar with what you’re going through. In high school my son brought home a “fire cracker” that a friend had given him at school. My dH at that time took one look at it and flipped out. It wasn’t a firecracker it was a railroad explosive. It explodes by pressure I think. Its not easy to dispose of because even if you bury it something heavy going over that area would cause an explosion.

So-what did my son do? He decided the best thing to do was take it back to school to give it back to the kid (even though his dad had taken it from him). Someone watched him do it and turned him in. He was arrested for bringing explosives to school and was expelled for the rest of the year. So was the other kid. Argh!

But if it makes you feel any better this kid is now a site manager at a petroleum plant and manages quite a few employees (and makes a great salary).

There is light at the end of the tunnel- you just gotta hang in there for the next decade or so, lol!

I have full faith that you are handling it correctly.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Have you not been able to secure a diagnosis for him? Does the school help much? That has got to be so hard for you, with your health issues and taking care of your younger DS.
Knowing your son’s presumed diagnosis, I believe you have no choice but to ban it at home until he can learn to manage it safely and appropriately, which won’t be overnight. You’re doing exactly the right thing there.
I hope the rest of your day was better

 

[tortoise]

Have you not been able to secure a diagnosis for him? Does the school help much? That has got to be so hard for you, with your health issues and taking care of your younger DS.
Knowing your son’s presumed diagnosis, I believe you have no choice but to ban it at home until he can learn to manage it safely and appropriately, which won’t be overnight. You’re doing exactly the right thing there.
I hope the rest of your day was better

He has been on a waiting list for autism evaluation for over a year now. He has behavioral diagnoses, but his health issues (which I can't get diagnosed) plus autism would explain his behavioral diagnoses. I have a friend with the same diagnoses I have, and her kids went through the same thing, same behavioral diagnoses, similar school problems, and ended up with an autism diagnosis and getting services. I am waiting to get DS14 to the same clinic that diagnosed her kids. DS14 has also had the same therapist as her kids.

 

[tortoise]

The more you ban it the more he will want it. Take it from an alcoholic before the age 21. And a nicotine addict before 18. It won’t ever work.

True! I can't ban computer use since it's required for school, but I don't have to let him have it at home. He is somewhat monitored at school and computer misuse at school = low grades. Thank goodness he actually cares about his grades!

 

[tortoise]

A meeting with the principal seemed to do some good for DS14. He had cleaned his locker, there weren't any stolen items, he proudly showed me he took notes in a class, and he completed a late assignment. He has a long way to go, but if he can repeat that a few [hundred] times and prioritize other friendships, he will be okay.

 

[tortoise]

DH reported a mouse under the stove yesterday. I set a trap in the laundry room, and just heard it set off. I'm too squeamish to check it.

It's near the dog food area. Both my dogs are messy eaters. My older dogs can't swallow right so food falls out of her mouth. She walks away from the dish while eating because she's trying to breathe, and she spreads food everywhere. She also regurgitates food. She guards the food bowl, and my younger dog has an excellent "Out" (spit it out). She looks at him and he drops the food in his mouth. There is dog food all over my floor. I'm constantly sweeping it up, but it gets kicked around and lost behind and under furniture and appliances. Hence, mice.

I set 5 more traps around the dog food area. I moved things to make "mouse runs" leading to the food from all directions and a trap at the narrowest point of each one. I hope I find trapped mice in the morning.

The worst of the mouse problem seems to be controlled, but I guess we're not done yet.

 

[tortoise]

A meeting with the principal seemed to do some good for DS14. He had cleaned his locker, there weren't any stolen items, he proudly showed me he took notes in a class, and he completed a late assignment. He has a long way to go, but if he can repeat that a few [hundred] times and prioritize other friendships, he will be okay.

DS14 had TWO spanish textbooks in his locker. (He lost a third spanish textbook the first week of school too!) Unfortunately the teacher had already left for the day so I couldn't have him return it on the spot.