-=> While eating Chocolate, Desiree had this to say: <=-
 DL> You can place lifeforms where you want, land or sea... various levels
 DL> of civilization. There are special "terraforming tools"... unleash
 DL> volcanoes, tidal waves, earth quakes, meteors and other natural powers.
 DL> You can take over existing planets or create new randomly generated
 DL> worlds.
 RF> Sounds really neat.  Jeremy would love it and so would Jonathon.
it is... and hard. I played it the other day... the first time my world
died rather quickly. The second time I did better. It's a balancing act
between forming continents, building lifeforms and keeping them from
becoming extinct, and progressing towards civilization, controlling
different components that make up the atmosphere, temperatures of the
air and sea and making sure there is enough vegetation to support life.
 RF> Yeah, Jeremy just started his stuff again.  Come up with the smart
 RF> mouth. I asked him why he insisted on talking to me like I was a piece
 RF> of *.* He grinned (can you believe that)?  Then with his attitude he
 DL> Yup... Cory does this too... in one hand it's frustrating, on the
 DL> other I wonder with amusement at the audacity of this kid.
 RF>
 RF> Does Corey have ODD too?  I can't remember if you said.  All I know
YES!!!!! 
 RF> is Jeremy does and his attitude toward parental authority stinks.
 RF> Although it is better than a few years ago.
Cory's attitude stinks big time! His patterns fluctuate from time to time.
He is never consistent. Part of the problem with Cory's attitudes is he
doesn't see himself as being 7. He thinks he can say, do and act just like
anyone else does. (Yeah, right!) I haven't seen any significant changes in
Cory's ODD... not even coming off the clonidine. He does have one sign when
his attitude has (temporarily) improved... when I ask him to do something,
he says "yes, mommy". This is the only time he will say this.
 RF> says "cause".  Now how the heck can he have both at the same time?
 RF> Then he comes and gets his dinner like he's my best friend.  Some days
 RF> I would love to just pop him and get it over with.  Sounds awful, but
 DL> Contemplated this myself... but Cory's most likely to pop me back! 
 DL> So, I can't be doing that now.
It's not like I want to, anyway or should feel that I have to just to get
him to listen to me.
 RF>
 RF> Well, I'm safe in that department.  Don't think Jeremy has the guts
 RF> to go that far with me.  Although the kids know not to.  Dad has
 RF> seriously let them know that won't be tolerated.  Once our 17 year old
 RF> tried leaving the house when told not to and my husband (43 at the
 RF> time) caught him and held him to the ground.  Just to let him know he
 RF> still had it in him to kick his butt.  My other children saw that.  To
Aren't parental reserves great!!! David seems to think he can 'take' his
father... I hope he never finds out. David will be in for a rude awakening.
Even more than the one he's about to get. ;)
 RF> this day they know there is only so far they can go.
This has been a tough lesson for Cory and one he still hasn't learned. He
pushes that threshold often.
 RF> I send my kids out in the cold every once in the while when the sun
 RF> is out or if the kids are so riled up I can't stand them.
When Ron got home yesterday he let them go out... Cory didn't make it past
getting pants on, which didn't last long. He didn't like the pants he was
chose... I wouldn't let him wear the school pants outside. We just had 3
days of a torrential downpour... the backyard isn't in the greatest of
shape with the neighbor and her friends parking in it. (my project for this
spring after she moves in 2 weeks) Cory exploded... all sensibilities and
reasoning left him. So his father told him it would be a good idea to stay
inside... of course that didn't make his behavior any better. Maybe some-
where in there there was some rationalizing of why he ended up not being
able to go outside. He calmed down quickly and was able to come out of his
room shortly after.  I was exhausted last night.
 DL> You still didn't tell me which state you live in! :)
 RF>
 RF> Oh, I thought I mentioned it.  I live in Michigan, not far from
 RF> Detroit. Lived here all my life.  I kinda hate the winters.  As a
 RF> matter of fact I don't like the summers here either.  Too Humid.
The closest I will get to you, for now, is cablevision... we get 2 or 3
Detroit channels. I like the programming better than ours. :)
 RF> Well at nite I know he gets up and eats and stuff, but he watches TV,
 RF> plus he has his bed partner, the cat. Actually they still get into
 RF> things, but it seems they don't do it then.  Give it some time he'll
 RF> grow outta it.
Geez... I hope so. I get up in the mornings to newspapers everywhere, take
on various things holding them together, toilet paper covering the bathroom
floor and whatever else Cory was interested in getting into. I'm very
thankful he doesn't get dressed and go outside like the little boy down-
stairs.
Picture this: The other morning about 5 am, his father saw our bedroom door
open then close and a few seconds later on my side of the bed, Cory's hand
came up onto my nightstand, feel around for something (probably looking for
something edible like chocolate, which I hide in the closet), rummage through
some paper and leave. All this was done basically on his belly. Ron then saw
the door open and asked Cory what he was doing in our room. Cory jumped up
and had the audacity to say he wasn't in there! He's very quiet. When he
gets up in the morning and our door is open he will close it. Fortunately
his sister has a piercing scream and can wake up the neighbors with it.
This is a typical morning around here.
 DL> I like to be insanely busy... I feel better and actually function
 DL> better (sound familiar??? ) At least I'm not on the internet too...
 DL> Ron, Cory's father takes care of that end for me.  But if
 DL> there isn't any thing new that I don't know already or can't easily get
 DL> myself then I probably won't go regularly. Besides... hahahaha, Cory's
 DL> doctor is the consulting doctor! 
 RF>
 RF> I keep myself busy, some days I can't sit still and other days I
 RF> can't move.
Then there are the days where I just don't wanna!!!
 DL> Well, dad told me the other day that he is looking forward to seeing
 DL> Cory off meds!!! I'm still laughing!!!!! HE has forgotten what Cory's
 DL> behavior is like without medication... I sure the heck haven't. But
 DL> Cory is 4 years older now so maybe (PLEASE GOD) there will be some
 DL> improvements/changes for the better.
 RF> I don't envy you that at all.  I have been raising Jeremy without
 RF> meds all these years.  I spend plenty of days crying and have seen him
 RF> move forward one space and back two.  I have days at a time I think he
 RF> won't need the meds (except for sleep) and days where I which I could
 RF> throw him a 100 valiums.  Other days I can't seem to get one bit of
 I know this one! Those are the days I make it a point to go
grocery shopping... even if we can get by, or I'll go to a girlfriend's
for a couple of hours in the evening.
 RF> understanding between us and other days he seems to be a teacher.
 RF> Somehow I keep thinking that there has to be a medication that will
 RF> stabilize him, then again I see kids on Meds and some aren't much
 RF> improved other than being able to concentrate.  I just don't know.  I
 RF> see Jeremy try really hard at times to control his temper and many
 RF> times act so good.  I wonder sometimes if I should stick it out
Sounds like he could be a good candidate for outgrowing most of the ADHD
as he gets older.
 RF> without it.  Then again, I see the struggle at trying to study.  If he
 RF> didn't have a hard time concentrating I would do without.  I know the
But this can only help him improve everything. There is much pride in
learning to do things for oneself. I see this in Cory from time to time.
And the fact that Jeremy is *trying* says alot! He sounds like a great
kid! :)
 RF> tears and frustration will not last forever.
 RF> Well I'm going off as Jeremy is having a hyper day today.
Hyper is okay... oppositional is, well, not. I can't deal much with the
latter.
Take care,
Desiree
... Parent: How many times must I tell you?  Kid: Six!
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