So this last Saturday my husband and son went to our nephews to help clean up their yard/house area. They just moved in a couple months ago and it needed some work done. So a bunch of the family was helping out. Anyway CJ was helping a lot over there, mainly wanting to drive the 4-wheeler to haul stuff.....LOL. But when neices parents got their with her 2 younger siblings then CJ was playing with them. Neices brother is 8 so he and CJ get along pretty well, but CJ said they were playing tackle football without the football....LMBO.

Anyway yesterday CJ was complaining about his knee, and I'm like oh geez. Because he so tends to try and milk things, or over dramatizes pain. Finally I was tired of hearing about it and looked at his knee, and sure enough it was swollen slitghtly. So he either sprained his knee or twisted in while they were tackling each other. So this time he actually had something legitimate to complain about, he can't fully extend it so he hobbles around. And that was intereting since today we had to grocery shop and I had to wait for him. But it all got done and he still helped unload the Blazer. He's now watching his Indiana Jones movie he checked out from the library yesterday, resting his knee.

Hopfully it feels better by the weekend because he goes to work with his father every other weekend and helps, so getting in and out of the tractor to open and close gates would be a pain if it still hurts like it does now.

Well I certanitly don't, but by golly the Lord has blessed me with one in CJ. My goodness I don't think I've seen a child this way. He's always been this way but it seems to be much worse the last year or so.

Every little thing that someone does, CJ feels the need to announce it to whomever is around. Seriously, the other night I was in the schoolroom on the computer and my husband was in the living room. Next thing I hear is CJ saying "Daddy's flicking the lamp off and on." I'm like and I needed to know that why?

I have no idea if this is some way he deals with any anxiety or just the simple fact that he thinks everyone really does care about everything he says. Ninety percent of what he announces, really we don't need to know, no do we really want to know.

Course there is also his greatness of, as you start a sentence to tell someone, CJ will suddenly finish it for you if you pause a second or sometimes not even. He knows he's not to be doing this because its rude and interruptive. I assume that's his way of being in the middle of everything. I think I might have mentioned this on here before, but I really don't get to have conversations with my mom or husband if CJ is around. AND you can't get him to go do something else. IF you tell him to go do whatever it is that he needs to be doing OR that he said he was going to do. He will sit there to listen to everything. Very frustrating, course if it really comes down to it then he stomps off to make a HUGE scene to let you know he's not happy about it and really makes his behavior look like that of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.

I really have no idea what my point of this post is, just struck me as I walked to the bathroom in the house only to have CJ announce to me that daddy had went outside and something about he took his pop with him. Strange really. I could see if I ASKED him but I don't because generally I already know.

That's another thing is CJ tells you things you already know OR that someone else already said, I don't know if he's repeating it to understand or if he just likes to then think he thought of it.....LOL. There are days when I'd just rather pull my hair out of my head but all in all I still have my hair on my head, don't notice any greys and well seem to be functioning as best I can even with a challenging child.

I often have those days of wondering just WHY the Lord blessed me with CJ. My luck its to give me better paitence, which aren't all that bad except when it comes to my child....LOL. Sad to say but boy some days I just need to walk away and get some alone time, and sometimes I can't get it because he will follow me or seems to have something important to talk about/ask me.

Ah well all in all everythings good even if I have a town cryer in my house!

Oh I know that's justa silly title for my blog entery. But since I'm going to be sharing photos of my son, thought it might be fun to put that in the title.

My DS just celebrated his 11th Birthday. Its hard to believe he's 11 now. But he is. He got a haircut yesterday and I took up to date photos of him. Since I don't go elsewhere to get his photos taken I do them. And I was super thrilled with these. So here are my son's 11 year photos. Now I ask you, does he look 11 compared to the other photos I shared of him a couple weeks ago?

I asked my DS this morning about his Art class yesterday. I was in the room for a bit but left, because the teacher seemed to have things under control and if I'm around too long it affects my son. Like he might not want to do things *more* if I'm there. So I try to stay away so he can do his thing.

Anyway I asked if he talked to any of the kids or just sat to himself. He said that a couple kids talked *to him* mostly. So I was really glad to hear that. They asked him if he needed help with anything. I'm honestly *thrilled* about this, because I wasn't sure if anyone would talk to him since he's newer and alot of them were probably in classes last year or more during the day.

It did my heart good to hear other kids make effort to talk to my son. So I hope it helps him be more at ease in the class.

While I was in the garden a bit ago weeding I had a thought go through my mind. I was thinking about how my dh was telling my son to help me weed. Which then took my mind to something my son said in anger.

See when he's mad because you've told him he has chores to do, or that *if* his behavior continues the way it was (we were talking to our son, telling him that there were many  chores that could be found for him and not much *fun* if he wanted to act the way he had the other day. Harsh maybe. But he doesn't seem to realize he needs to be responsible for things, that life will not be all fun and games when he's older. We want him to be respectful and not *expect* things done/given for/to him)

Anyway something was said, I think dishes or something. And he automatically said, "I won't do it. That's BORING." Now that gets me to thinking, does he really mean its boring or is there some other meaning behind his words.

You know those commercials on TV where the kids use excuses because they have a learning disibility, so instead they just say its too hard, or what have you.

So here I'm trying to figure out what my son really means. Because, as much as I'm sure dishes and chores are boring, I don't think that's what he means when he's saying it in pouting/whining/anger.

Just having a conversation with our son can get interesting. Especially when you are trying to teach him that he needs to be responsible for things. Over the weekend we were talking with him about things. And when you mention something about chores, he starts pouting, almost crying and whining. Then he loves to tell you that he *will not do it* or *that's boring* or *that's not fair*, that last one comes up a lot if we tell him he'll do more work then play time.

Obviously we've lacked in things for teaching him wise. I know I've just done things for him in the past because it was *easier for ME* and now that we are changing things our son gets upset.

I know we are not wrong for wanting him to be responsible, but really trying to figure out what he means when he says *that's boring* does make my mind rattle......lol.

I may not be making any sense here and for that i'm sorry. I'm just really wanting to better my son for th efuture, not have him thinking he can get things handed to him on a silver platter without any effort at all..

Ok I'm sure eveyone has had this happen once or twice. Maybe more I dunno. But last night I went into my son's bedroom to get some extra clothes as my SIL said he could stay overnight. Now ds didn't know she had called back. He had called earlier last night and she said she had some phone calls to make and wasn't sure yet. He was of course upset, but went with grandpa and daddy to check on the field that the neighbors wanted us to put up.

Anyway she called my moms because that's where my ds called from. Saying he could come on over for the night. Anyway, I walked into his room to get some clothes for him, so when they came back dh could take him over there.

Then I find out one of the bulbs on his ceiling fan in his room is broken, as in most of the white part of the bulb was gone, and no signs of it at all on the floor. I assumed it had happened yesterday while I was out mowing and he was in the house a couple times.

So I had to wait for them to get back and took ds and dh into the room to have ds tell us what happened. He had been swinging the ear buds for the cd player around and it hit it and broke, the lights were ON when he was doing this. *sigh* I was upset indeed, because he did NOT attempt to tell dh nor I that it happened at all.

We asked when it happened and he couldn't remember, but it was before the garbage got taken out of the kitchen, which meant at least 3-4 days.Needless to say I was a bit upset, BUT I did my best and talked calmly. Making sure he knew it was wrong, and in my opinion a form of lying.

Ok where was I, I had to go help ds with something.

Oh ok now I remember, I told dh when ds was doing something, that the call did come back for him to stay over. Dh commented that it was up to me, and I simply said. "No its up to you." I dislike being the one to *always* decide. So I left it up to him. He said that after finding out about the light bulb in his opinion it should be a no.

He had ds, clean up his room, and wash himself up. He took his evening pill and was off to bed.

So even though he did not know he could go over there he wasn't upset. But how is it you really teach a child to just admit when something happens instead of hiding things?? He's done this before, but not for a while.

We all talk about chores our kids have. And I'm currently trying to get a schedule of chores for my son. I actually want to put up a poster board with the stuff on and velcro so he can reuse it. I saw it on Supernanny. Where they used a sun to do morning things and I think a moon for evening.

But it gave me an idea so we didn't have to check mark and make new ones all the time. I could just a roll of clear contact paper to *laminate it* of sorts then glue the velcro stuff. Then just move the item as he does things.

Having a visual helps him, plus he tends to *forget* items he needs to do. Then again he loves to say "you didn't tell/remind me."

So basically how do you teach a child to be responsible for his own chores without *constant* reminders, I know theres bound to be reminders no matter what.

So that's my plan.

Today so far my son has done his dishes he needs to do and after my load of towels he will learn to wash his own clothes. I need him to be more responsible and hopes of getting major self esteem in the process of it.

I'm probably the mean mommy today....lol.

So far after breakfast I've had him wash dishes, all but the pans I'll do them. Then water my tree I got from my mom for mothers day. Water the potatoes and now he's currently watering the flowerbeds.

Its not all that mean actually he has the hose so its not the watering can and multiple trips.....lol. And too be honest he loves it, there's times he'll drive ya batty asking if he can water the stuff. So I've gotten to the point of just letting him.

Everything needs a dose of miracle grow as well. I should go get the stuff from my mom and have him give them some of that as well.

Ok for anyone out there that might have an ADHD kiddo and changed their diet. Please share with me a few things to start off with. Since our son is out of school now and we'll be homeschooling I feel it best to try something. Maybe the meds won't be needed.

The main problem we have is that our son will whine at the drop of a hat, shoot ya look at him funny and he'll whine. You ask/tell him to do something htat he doesn't wnat to do and he'll whine or stand there staring at you.

So I need small ideas to start out with to see if we can change things. I know I read less sugar, and well he doesn't get harldy any now......lol. But obviously might be some I dunno about, that could be in foods.

Plus I want him to eat healthier snacks. Right now we do like sandwhiches for snacks. I try not to have junk in the house. And I don't like letting him have a can of soda. He does once in awhile. He does drink a lot of water, or lately its been lemonade or powerade LOL Dunno whats  up with that one. Anywho.

Any help would be great, I can't afford to do a HUGE change all at once so a little bit here and there would be great.

Well not really saga, but my goodness. I was sick last week then, friday of last week our son came home from school, looked ill and fell asleep on the sofa. Ya know he's not feeling well when he falls asleep.

Anyway, dh and I had to run into town so my mom stayed with our son. When we got back I could tell he wasn't feeling well, as his face was red. and he was a bit warm. Well another online friend mentioned putting onions on the bottoms of their feet in order to *suck* the fever out. So I did that and it truely seemed to work. He was running around Sat and Sun. Just coughing a lot, which happens when he over does things. Then has coughing spells.

Well today I sent him to school, like usual and get a call about 10am that he wasn't feeling well and they were curious to if I had given any medicine to make him sleepy. Which I hadn't because he was fine.

Well he slept most of the morning at the school. I got a call again at 12:30 that they thought he needed to come home. They had trouble waking him up and he wasn't responding like they wanted him too. He didn't have a temp. Wasn't throwin up. So I had to have dh get off work early to bring him home.

Then we took him to the Dr, to find out he has Tonsillitis  lovely. He's never had it b4. So he's on antibiotics and I"ll be keeping him home til next week. They had friday and monday off for easter break anyway. So lets hope it goes away with the antibiotics and that we don't need to make another trip to the Dr.

Interesting isn't is??

So my boy will be home with me, gotta love that.