Hard Times

Sweet Colton is having an epic hard time right now. Epic. Two weeks ago, he apparently wore a medical boot to school. He told everyone he had a sprained ankle. When it came time for recess, he was healed! When kids questioned why he was lying, he said, "My mom gives me shots and now I'm better!" #1: I don't give my kids shots. #2: There was never a sprained ankle. A couple of days after that, he was bit by a dog. Stitches come out on Thursday. Last week, he asked his teacher if he could use the bathroom. She allowed him to do that. Thirty minutes later, everyone was looking for him. He was just roaming around the halls, peaking his head in every classroom, asking what everyone was doing! Oh, and he went to the principal's office, telling him he doesn't eat breakfast or lunch and he was hungry. The principal got him a roll, then walked him back to class. #1: The kid eats breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 15 snacks in between. #2: The principal is awesome sauce, seriously. Yesterday, I received a phone call... okay several phone calls for the principal, assistant principal, school psychologist, and counselor. Colton was caught on surveillance video stealing a scooter after school. Apparently, he rode it to the ditch, then realized Mom and Dad would be mad, so he dumped it in the ditch and walked the rest of the way home. The parents filed a police report. I sent a $75 check to school today to re-pay the family for the scooter that was not in the ditch the next morning when Colton went looking for it. When I asked Colton why he would do that, he said, "Well, I didn't want to walk home. I put it in the ditch so I could give it back the next day! Am I in trouble?" Ugh. #1: Yup, you're in serious trouble, Kid. #2: Scooters are expensive. #3: It took him a while to grasp what had happened, what the consequences were, and how everyone was being affected by this. The ruling: Colton has ADHD, and it's severe, but we all believe that we are missing another diagnosis. Colton will be seeing a new pediatrician, one closer to our house, on Monday. We will also be getting a referral to a psychologist outside of school for treatment. At school, Colton will be attending groups that will teach him social skills, including how to make and keep friends, telling the truth, not stealing, being respectful, etc. The school psychologist will also be evaluating him and piggy-backing on the independent psychologist's treatment plans. Colton will be working within the special ed area for some resources. This is per his IEP. Colton will be taking his morning meds at school. There are days that he forgets to take them at home. It was explained to me that he is physically unable to remember on some days. It is not even an option to not have that medicine in the mornings. We will be working to train his brain to remember, but until then, they will be giving him his meds. #1: I am SO grateful that we finally have a TEAM to work with. The principal, and everyone else, are amazing!! They are dedicated, kind, supportive, and communicative. Willow Canyon did nothing. #2: Colton is loved. There are a lot of people on this team who have his best interest in mind. #3: We believe that Colton can function at a high level. We believe that he can, and will, succeed in whatever he does. #4: We got this. He will be working very hard to earn the money that we have paid to the young boy whose scooter was stolen. Josh has set him up on a routine after school each day. Oh, how grateful I am for Josh. Within minutes of the first phone call, Josh had emailed the principal, giving him all of his contact information and letting him know that he was his dad and would do whatever we need to do. Josh is SO involved. So, so involved. Especially with school. The kids know that they go to him for school stuff. He is at their parent/teacher conferences, the teachers know who he is, and the kids are well aware that every single night when he gets home, he asks about their school work. Speaking of school work, a couple of weekends ago, they had a math morning on a Saturday. I HATE math, like with a passion. Josh found a game on the computer that is helping Kaydon with his math... and Kaydon loves the thing!