Today was filled with a ton of grading. I only have one set of papers left. I tried to play Katamari, but it started to make me sick. I talked to friends, but other J has been at work and the house has been lonely. I got house work done; dishes, laundry, fed the snake, and cleaned the bunny cage.
Right now I’m watching Extreme Makeover home edition. Looking out the window, hoping to get a txt message… its a lonely night.
Symptom: Raging / Cursing
Signs: increased whining, grunting or growling may escalate to a rage, a glazed over look may come into the child’s eyes, incoherent speech, cursing
Technique / treatment:
1. Ignore the cursing!
2. Talk in a low, calm voice.
3. Avoid using the child’s name.
4. Avoid talking at all if possible.
Mood: Mixed
Symptom: Oppositional behavior with high energy
Signs: the child refuses to comply with authority’s wishes, the child may become passive/aggressive by seeming to comply with wishes then destroying property or other form of sabotaging the situation
Technique / treatment:
1. Do not argue with the child. Do not force the child to comply with your wishes.
2. Do not threaten with ultimatums.
3. Calmly tell the child what you expect of her, then walk away. Give her time to process the information.
4. Later, come back and reiterate your wishes. She may have calmed down enough to comply. If not, offer a reward for completing the task.
5. Offer another task in lieu of the original task. Have her choose between the two.
6. Allow her to cool off in her room or another safe place until she can decide to comply
If the child cannot compromise, put the issue in basket C (explained at the end of this article) and let it go for now. Do not push the issue unless it has to do with the child’s safety.
Mood: Depressed
Symptom: Anger
Signs: irritability, anger, opposition to authority, anger may or may not have a direct cause
Technique / treatment:
1. Avoid talking with the child as much as possible.
2. Do not argue back.
3. Allow him to cool off in a safe, non-punitive place.
4. Remove / reduce all stimuli and stressors to avoid escalation to a rage.
Mood: Depressed
Symptom: Withdrawn / Anti-social behavior
Signs: the child prefers to be alone, may be irritable or angry or extremely sensitive, will not play or play well with others
Technique / treatment:
1. Encourage the child to talk about her feelings.
2. If the child won’t talk, ask her to draw what she is feeling.
3. Do not leave the child unattended if she has exhibited feelings of suicidality.
4. Try to facilitate 1:1 interaction with another child. Games where no talking is required may be best to begin with so the children can warm up to each other.
push pins – pictures if buildings – famous land forms
have kids design reading wall – contest or give each class half – magazine articles/newspaper/poems… something interesting to them…
J1 or J = Me
otherJ = BF
J2 = sister 1
J3 = sister 2
J4 = Texas J
1.0 = workJ
Jilly = Jilly of Tampa (formerly of RO)
V = TexasV
K = Kris
A = CNX A
W.D. to me, OtherJ, J2 show details Feb 18 (5 days ago)
…’cause I’m a total geek. But it’s good stuff.
“If there’s no great glorious end to all this, if nothing we do matters … then all that matters is what we do. ‘Cause that’s all there is. What we do. Now. Today. I fought for so long, for redemption, for a reward, and finally just to beat the other guy. Because, if there’s no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness is the greatest thing in the world.” — Angel, “Epiphanies”
Recommended by V: vodka, butter shots, a splash of hot damn… and since I was out of mixers, a dash of cinnamon vanilla coffee creamer.
7 years and she hasn’t changed her number
maybe she thought you’d call back one day Read the rest of this entry
I’ve been thinking about who i wanted to be 5 years ago and I realized that I’m so much better than I wanted to end up. I’m so much stronger than I was then. And I want to thank you for making me realize that I am that strong. You didn’t make me this way, but you’ve never stopped me from doing anything from being upset for a little while and letting me work it out. Even if you are trying to cheer me up, it is with reminding me about reality rather then blowing hot air in my ear. I was depressed… always… and even though I’m annoyed with my jobless/part time situation… I never feel alone or empty. I never feel like I’m the only one putting in an effort. I’m part of something. I love you.
The Adventures of J 