Summer Break Begins

So I am taking a break from the babies' story and posting a normal blog. Jamie and Linda's last day of school was Friday. All I can say is thank goodness! It has been a horrible year. Linda has struggled so much this year (and every other year). We have fought with her school psychlogist for two years to try and get her help. She just cannot sit still and do her work. I am not sure what is her ADHD and what is Linda, but no amount of discipline has made even the littlest ding in her behaviors.

We have sought a family counselor to help her and help us parent her better. Normal parenting techniques just do not work with her. She has no impulse control and frankly does what wants regardless of right and wrong. Now on the whole she is a good kid, but she just can't seem to self regulate. She is always bouncing and moving and comes off as immature to the other kids her age. She gets picked on for it, but yet still can't seem to control it. She does poorly in her classes as well because everything is a distraction for her. Her pencil box was the biggest battle for her and her teachers.

She also does poorly during testing. It is hard to see what level she is really at because she will pretend she can't do things, or doesn't know things for attention. I was told she struggles in reading and has to sound out even basic words. But if she is in the mood, she will pick up books in her bedroom and I will hear her reading at a level way beyond what she tested at and not needing to sound out anything. Linda craves attention and positive, or negative doesn't matter.

Back to the testing, we had her tested for special education to try and get her one on one help so she could excel. The psychologist says that Linda's behaviors such as innattention, impulsivity, executive function, and peer relations are at an extremely elevated level. She is considered was out of bounds with her behaviors compared with those of her peers. Ok, so I get it, surely this means she will help right. No, she then goes on to say that further information will be gathered next year, but services are not recommended at this time. What! How can she excel if everyone acknowledges that she needs special help, but no one will give it to her.

Linda cannot continue at the path she is on. She gets picked on for her impulsiveness and this has to bother her. I just do not know what to do. The psychologist is retiring and there will be a new one next year. Maybe they will be more willing to help. In the meantime we will keep working with the counselor over the summer to try and help her overcome any issues with her past.