Thank you Lord for a good day
Yesterday went fairly well. Our daughter woke up without issue, ate breakfast and took her medication. My wife had her school work setup on the computer. After she said she was done, we checked the online report and it showed that she had done a total of 54 minutes of school work. We didn't push the issue because we weren't yet familiar with the new software that we had purchased, which is what they used at the facility in Georgia.
The day went on without incident, and I did not have much interaction with her. She and my wife had been speaking successfully without any incidents, so I didn't engage much. I knew that she had her first therapy appointment in the afternoon, so I just wanted to keep things on track.
After lunch, my wife took our daughter to her therapy appointment. The initial session was scheduled for 1-1/2 hours. While our daughter was in her session, my wife inquired about setting up therapy for herself as well and completed the necessary paperwork to get her first appointment scheduled. I plan to also schedule individual therapy soon, but it is an expense that we have not yet built into our already tight budget.
After therapy, my wife and daughter came home and things still seemed to be going well. There was no yelling or outbursts thus far. Shortly after the two of them arrived home, we headed out to my mother-in-laws for dinner. On the way, we dropped my daughter in son off at the basketball court, just a few blocks from the house to let them play for while until dinner was done. When dinner was done, I drove up to the park and picked them up. We had dinner and visited for a while, during which time my daughter and I had some brief conversations and no conflict.
Upon arriving home, my daughter and I walked the dogs and still no conflict. Once we settled in, my wife had made the comment that she would like for all if us to be in bed by 9:30 pm since we have had an exhausting week. My son went to bed at 9 pm and my daughter continued to go back and forth, from the bedroom, to the bathroom. At around 9:15 pm, my daughter said she wanted nachos and salsa, my wife told her no, it was time for bed. She then got upset and went to her room and began drawing. At 10:00 pm, my wife went to her room and asked her why her lamp was still on, she said she was drawing. My wife told her to turn off the lamp, it was past bedtime. She finally turned off the lamp and went to bed.
It seems that our daughter is testing the limits of what she can get away with. She knows that we are tired of the chaos, so she tries to see what she can get away with before we correct her, because she knows that correcting her will cause conflict. We are learning how to discuss the ways in which we will set boundaries with each other, before presenting them to her. We know that if either of us reacts to her behavior in haste, things will rapidly go down hill.
Lord, give Kelly and I wisdom to work together as a team. It is difficult to parent when the child we are parenting has explosive behavior. We need strength and a sound mind to make wise choices and stick by our decisions. Lord, help our daughter be more receptive to the boundaries we set for her. Help her to understand that it is our desire for her to have a happy and productive life. We thank you Lord for your many blessings. In Jesus name, Amen.