Follow Up on Battling

You are SO NOT going to believe this…..

Wednesday we started a protein-packed diet for our boy. The change in him was remarkable! We had no issues whatsoever.

It was bacon and eggs for breakfast and a pepperoni stick just for good measure. Yah, show me a seven-year-old boy who wouldn't want one of those for breakfast. He takes a very balanced lunch with him, but I am at the point of doubling the protein in the lunch now. He used to be allowed to double up on grains--not anymore.

We even went to our oldest kids' choir concert that night. He SAT and LISTENED. There were no problems. In the past, he would have been jumping up, fidgeting, and talking during the entire performance.

It is clear that there are certain patterns of response that have built up over time that will need to be altered. The hope is that these will calm by themselves as he calms.

I honestly cannot believe the difference….There is finally some hope for our family.

***

Now, to yesterday…..

Again, we started out with high protein breakfast. The morning was smooth. He had everything he needed when he left for school and arrived five minutes early--no drama.

He, as far as I know, had a normal morning, ate his lunch at lunchtime, finished school, and returned home.

Oldest brother was home when they arrived from the elementary school, but I was not. I had a baby shower gift to make, so I was off purchasing fabric.

When I arrived home, I found him sitting at the table with a banana peel in front of him. OH NO!!! It was also shared that he had eaten some marshmallows. SO NOT GOOD!

I ran upstairs and grabbed some pistachios out of the locked box of treasures and put them in front of him.

Unfortunately, I soon found out that that wasn't enough. It worked for awhile but wore off, and the trouble began a few hours later. I could not get him to focus and he started bullying those around him.

I sent him to his room with the promise that as soon as he was there, I'd hand him a pepperoni stick. I wanted him to eat it and remain there for 20 minutes.

He emerged a much calmer child--not perfectly ready to focus--but better. As time went on, he was finally able to sit down in front of his homework and get things moving in the right direction.

***

This morning, eggs and ham. Smooth sailing all the way. The kids were late to school, but that's because of me--migraine morning. They had everything together and were sitting on the bench by the front door waiting for me when it was time to go.

***

Tonight, we see the counselor. We'll see what she can help us with as far as these patterns that we've formed and how we can better deal with changing them.