I apologize in advance for this lengthy diatribe...I am a "fill in the background" kind of girl, and I figure that I'm going to get the best advice if I give you the best information possible. I am new to homeschooling (I've been doing this for exactly three days, now). My oldest daughter (of three) graduated from public high school last year and my middle daughter just started as a sophomore. They are, and always have been, easygoing and flexible girls who excel in school with very few problems. My youngest, however, has been a challenge since she emerged from the womb! They schools insisted on testing her for A.D.H.D. and related disorders (even though I knew better)...and her great grades, for one thing, voided any possibility of it. She's simply a case of being too smart for her own good. I worked as a paralegal in a law office from the time she was a year and a half old and, as a result, she grew up around my "shop talk"...using words like "purportedly" and "exemplary" in her fifth grade report. When she was three years old, she used the world "evidently" in proper context while sitting in her car seat, babbling about things on the way to preschool. Unfortunately, when entered that rocky, bumpy pre-teen/teen age a couple of years ago, her grades tanked, her attitude (after falling in with the wrong crowd) tanked, and her overall personality was subversive and plotting. She exploited alllllllll of the public school loopholes such as: telling the teacher she would do her homework at home, telling me she had no homework, and the overloaded teacher never advising me of the incomplete homework until it was noted on her report card...AFTER the damage was done with a "D" or an "F". She's still got that good heart (the one that is hidden under two years' worth of negative behavior) and she has begged me to homeschool her for two years. I think she thought she'd be getting off easy if I did. Last September, a guy ran a red light while yapping on his cell phone and "t-boned" me squarely in the driver's side door (I was driving alone, thank the Lord). I sustained a fractured pelvis, fractured vertebrae causing some nerve damage, and two herniated disks in my neck which are compressing my spinal cord. I am in physical therapy three times a week and I have a pain management physician devoted, exclusively, to managing my pain with narcotics (to monitor me and ensure I don't become addicted or so "overmedicated" that I can't live my lifestyle). As a result, I lost my job of nearly eleven years (they simply needed a warm body at the office everyday, as I was the Senior Paralegal and Office Manager...and I couldn't do it). I've worked very hard to overcome the physical and mental issues...including pain...and I walk with a cane, now, to get around as much as I can. Being reduced to one income in the home hurt, but we made it through (even though it gets really, really tight sometimes). Since I was now unemployed, I took a look at my daughter's final report card...noting the two F's and one D...and decided to grant her request. I was home all day, now, and I could homeschool her...bring out that brilliant mind and teach it structure and discipline. We enrolled in an online academy which is also an Arizona charter school...whose classroom merely happens to be in the home. They sent me all of the materials for free (they said "As an Arizona charter school, you've already paid for the materials with your tax dollars...why should you have to pay for them twice?") and we have a teacher to report two every other week, as we share our progress, problem areas and focus on certain goals. I have to log attendance everyday on the login account where I print out my teacher's guide for the day's lesson, and her student guide to accompany her textbooks and other materials. It's all right there, with all the support we need and pre-scheduled events, outings, etc. to augment her studies and I, myself, planned to introduce a half-hour period each day devoted to religious study...starting next week, when we were a bit more familiar with this. We decided to do all of this, for certain, through 9th grade. Near the end of 9th grade (when she would be entering high school at 10th grade), we would decide where to go from there. Our first day of homeschooling (this past Monday) was a bust. After a summer of running wild (I've spent plenty of nights, driving around at midnight to track her down) and running her health down in the process, she woke up to the first day of school with a raging case of strep throat. I called our teacher and she assured me that homeschooling was different...the only thing we were doing was adding a day on to the end of the school year (if we didn't make it up, sooner) and she was no longer "competing" with the rest of a class. Her progress is her progress, alone, and she should spend this time getting better. Tuesday was better, though Pre-Algebra took us nearly five hours, alone! She tested at a 7th grade level on her math (though everyone involved with homeschooling has assured me that she'll make that up and, with work, even supercede her grade level). We did two other subjects (fairly quick ones) and called it a day around dinnertime. Yesterday was really good...but then disaster struck. She sat in front of her books, folded her arms and said she didn't want to do it anymore. I said "Fine. Then I'm going to call the Taylor [the public junior high she would otherwise be attending] and tell them I have a late registration". She said "no" and we fought. Exhausted, I laid down to rest a bit and accidentally fell asleep for about a half hour. When I awoke, she was out at the table doing her Algebra. I said "What are you doing?" and she said "Proving that I don't want to go back to Taylor". I breathed a huge sigh of relief and we set our goals for the next day. During our argument, by the way, she admitted that homeschooling was harder than she thought it would be. She said it was "easier to get by with stuff" and I said "Why? Because you had an overtaxed teacher with 35 to 40 other students to worry about, so you could sneak things past her?" and she nodded. Well...we get to today (sigh)... She woke up late and we got started late. We started with math, as usual, and we kept getting distracted by different things. She would NOT work on her math. Every time I went out to the table to check on her (she does about half of her lessons online and the other half offline), she was either missing or deliberately "slogging" along, not really doing much of anything. She said "To hell with THIS. I want to go to Taylor." I said "No. And you don't mean that, you're just angry at your math work." She threw down her pencil and said "I'm not doing anymore. Take me back to Taylor" Now, considering I'm appealing to a group of veteran homeschoolers, here, I don't have to explain that -- if you don't have a thirteen year old's cooperation in homeschooling -- you're not going to get anywhere. She refused, several times, and I even told her to forget Algebra...we could just skip it for the day and move on to Literature or catch up on our Vocabulary. She would have none of it...demanding to return to Taylor, so I said "Fine. Get your shoes on, but I think you're going to be disappointed when you realize you lost something that could have been really good." Okay...so it was a bit louder and angrier than that between us, but that was the basic gist. We got to the school, and I went to the registration desk and told her I had a late registrant. I think she saw our faces and asked us if we'd like to see the counselor first, and we accepted. We got into his office and I think he's just barely older than my oldest daughter (I'm 36, my daughter's 19 and this guy was acting like he'd been at this for years). I don't want to pre-dispose you, so I'll just stick to what he was saying. (the forum formatter says my post has gone on too long...I'm going to break this into a second part by replying to myself, below...)
The counselor started going on and on and on about public school and I stopped him, saying "Look...I know you have to be an advocate for public schooling, but I'd appreciate it if you'd keep an open mind with regard to the special attention she needs". He replied with "No, I am an advocate for what's best for the CHILD..." and proceeded to tell me why public school was best for her. Actually, that's wrong...he spent forty-five minutes undermining EVERYTHING I said to her and every point I was trying to get across by making funny faces at her while I was speaking, inciting her to laugh. Telling me that there was a lot of negativity surrounding her and that was probably because of the homeschooling...and so on and so forth. I told him "She exploited YOUR system for nine months, last year by telling the teachers one thing while telling me another, and the results were D's and F's. In THREE DAYS of my system, she's been unable to exploit it and we're here because she's frustrated over that fact." He defended it by saying that it wasn't REALLY exploitation...that, if she'd gotten A's by doing that, it would be exploitation. As it was, she failed, so she did NOT exploit his system. I said "The D's and F's are solid PROOF that she exploited it!" He kept going on about how her stance was showing that my homeschooling had stolen her spirit. Now, this guy's got pictures on the wall of a couple of toddlers...what the HELL does he know about a teenager's "stances" other than what he's been taught in some book? I told him "I've had over thirteen years of training on her stances, and right now she's buffaloing you in order to make me angry." He decided that would be a great time to waggle his fingers on top of his head, making a "buffalo" and making her laugh. Do you see what I mean? Finally, I got through to him by pointing out: 1. She'd begged me for homeschooling for two years...this was HARDLY a "forced child". That knocked him down a notch. 2. He countered by saying that maybe things would be different this year because she looked so much more mature, etc. I said "She looks like a wannabe-23 year old in a 13 year old's body and it's because I spent all summer trying to find her, hanging out with all the wrong crowd, of all the wrong ages, doing all the wrong things and leaving us worrying about her for days and nights at a time..." (where, Alyssa smugly interjected "Even weeks!"...blowing Mr. Counselor's argument straight to you-know-where). 3. He countered again with a "kids will be kids and that doesn't mean this year will be any different..." when I said "Did I mention that she's SO mature that she got in trouble with the law this summer when she and her friend took her friend's father's car and went joyriding in the middle of the night?" He looked at Alyssa and she said "Well I wasn't driving..." and before he could pick up on that defense, I said "Well, if you guys had HIT AND KILLED SOMEONE, you'd BOTH have been in juvenile detention for vehicular manslaughter, or the like...do you want to tell me how unimportant it was, once again, that you weren't driving?" Instantly, Mr. Counselor didn't seem to want her in his school SO badly anymore...but then tried to push the idea of alternative learning centers. I told him "You're kidding me, right? Take a kid who has a CHANCE...a critical crossroads where we MIGHT be able to crack down and spare her a LOT of 'bad-decision agony'...and put her in with kids who have been busted for dealing drugs, or gang activities, et cetera? THAT'S your solution?" I never got him over to "my side" (oh no...he wouldn't be the child's BUDDY if he took my side, would he?)...but he did emphasize to my daughter that (1) she was lucky that I was giving her choices...that many parents would just say "that is THAT!" (which could turn into a homeschool disaster, actually); (2) that she had a parent who cared; and (3) that she should continue her homeschool activities with diligence until we made a decision...not to just "veg-out" on the couch. So, I can only claim a minor victory, in that: he didn't march us out to the registration desk at the end of the meeting, and he even encouraged her to come back and do her homeschooling properly unless/until we made a decision (on the alternate school...he never revisited the notion that she'd be a good fit for mainstream school). So that is that. No more work was done, today. I am sitting here in tears tonight, boring everyone with my far-too-wordy-story and totally distraught...as is my daughter. She is confused and uncertain and sad because, as she told the counselor "I don't want to have to do any school at ALL..." I also hate the fact that, in telling the relevant things about my daughter, I've probably painted her as a monster. That's really not so...and, I promise, this is not just a biased mother's opinion. For every bad thing I've told you, there are three DELIGHTFUL things she has done on her own initiative...and her sparkling personality that leaves us crying from laughing so hard, at times. She's a beautiful soul and her poetry would give you shivers. She IS a delight to me...she is the joy of my life, which is why this IS such an important battle to me...NOT to be blown off by some counselor who's been alive merely a few years longer than I've been parenting. I married my husband straight out of high school, at 17. I had my oldest daughter at 18. I had to scratch and claw...with tremendous sacrifice and dedication...for every single scrap I could coax life to give me. I worked my way from the bottom of the pit, upwards...and I DON'T want any of my girls to have to do the same. I don't want her to just "give up"...not if I have anything to say about it. But, tonight, I sit here in tears. Have I ruined everything (by allowing it to be ruined)? Is there any hope? What do I do, come 8:00 a.m. tomorrow? Is this NORMAL? I'm so sad :cry: If anyone is still awake after reading my WAY too long "novel" (the forum formatting feature even said so! :lol, and has a suggestion...ANY...I'll take it. I have never been more uncertain in my life (sigh). Thanks for your time.
First of all, you have shown what a caring parent you are by even attempting to give your daughter a different chance to succeed (by homeschooling). That in itslef speaks volumes. I do not have a teenager, so I cannot speak from experience on that part. However, my suggestion to you at this point would be to step back and de-school your daughter. By this I mean, allow her to become a child again (13 is still a child). Take some time letting her learn through life rather than forcing a rigid "school at home" approach. Allow her to explore things that really interest her. You said she is a great poet. Allow her to focus on that. She will be learning, even if it's not the conventional things right now. Of course, you will have to get back to the things that she needs to know, but for now, I'd take a step back. Concentrate on building a relationship with your daughter filled with trust and love. Once you recover that, you can get back to the other things. I am not at all familiar with how charter programs work, so you may want to check with the administration to see if you are required to finish with in a certain time frame. If time is not an issue, take as long as you and your daughter need. If there is a time frame, I'd still take as much time as you can afford to get your daughter back. I'm saying a prayer right now for guidance and peace... Pam
I do not have any advice as my oldest is not quite 10. I just wanted to say that we are here for you and I hope everything works out for your family.
Sonnenblume, I'm so sorry to hear your desperation. I have been there, too--with an uncooperative child, I mean. Having to meet a virtual school's expectations would seem to add extra pressure to both your daughter and yourself. If the public school's agenda hasn't worked within their building, maybe it's not the best for your home, either. Sixcloar spoke with a lot of wisdom, it seems to me, in "taking a step back, concentrating on building a relationship with your daughter..." I don't know what state you are in nor what their requirements for independent homeschoolers are. Having been involved with the public school up to now, may cause some expectations on their part, ie. they might not want to let you go on your own, and you might not feel "competent" to teach without oversight. But until that relationship works better, not much teaching or learning can take place, either. How we all want the best for our children! But we can't force it on them. Don't blame yourself! Know that our Creator loves our children even more than we do and that He's always there to redeem them and their mistakes whenever they are ready for Him. Look to Him. Take one step at a time. leaning heavily on the Cross. Love and Prayers, Prairie Home
"De-schooling" may very well be part of what she needs. I understand your desire to do a Charter School...it is easier in many ways, and I have suggested it to friends with older kids. But for you right now, I think I agree she needs more freedom IN HER STUDIES. Other than that, she also needs some REALLY TOUGH love. Where she's given no freedom whatsoever. She needs to be totally cut off from her friends that are part of her rebellious behavior. No priveledges what so ever until they are earned. How can she earn them? By appropriate behavior and doing completing her school work. Make some kind of contract with her. And see if you can get the whole family seeing a GOOD counselor, one who will look at the complete situation and work with the entire family, and not so concerned about being a "friend" to this "poor unfortunate child who is so misguided because she has such an idiot for a mother, who thinks she can do it better than all us Professionals" (GEESH!!! And they wonder what thier schools are so messed up???) Also, you might want to send a PM to Crystal. She doesn't post a lot right now, but did today. She's had a difficult time with one of her boys, and had to make some hard decisions regarding him. So she might have some wisdom from experience for you that the others of us wouldn't.
I agree totally with Jackie. This young lady needs some deschooling for sure. She is burned out from the school system. Let her relax and learn to find home life enjoyable. I'd find out what topics she's interested in and go from there. If she has more choices in her learning then she might be more willing to learn. She seems to have put up a block now. I entice my young children with educational activities that are fun so they are not putting up blocks that this is WORK! I'm sure it's harder, but definitely do-able, for older kids. It may be that she is gifted in one area and have trouble in another. You may consider having her try a lower level in math or a subject she feels is hard. Also, finding out what learning style she prefers would help a lot! A wonderful thing about homeschooling is that you can tailor your curriculum to meet your needs. Help her realize that you are not under time constraints and that you are there to help her through the hard stuff. I wish you luck and pray that you can help your daughter.
I agree with the ladies she needs some unschooling right now. But, I also agree with Jackie she needs tough love. No friends until she proves to you. It's hard, but we will be here to support you. I have 13 year old but she is really good so far. Does mostly what I ask her to do. Yes, e mail Crystal she had trouble with one she might have some good answer. Good luck
Bless your heart...I can't imagine how hard this is for you. Well, I, too agree she needs to be deschooled. Focus on your relationship with her...which definitely includes the tough love that Jackie talked about. One thing that I noticed in your post is the "arguing" that comes from both of you (at least that's what I was hearing) I have a dd (she is only 9, but still) who can tend to be argumentative if I let her. But what I do is tell her if she wants to get my attention and have me listen to what she has to say then she will need to talk calmly and with respect and if she can not do that she needs to go to another room (somewhere away from me) until she is ready to do so. I completely refuse to discuss anything with her or make any decisions with her until she can do this. It has helped us greatly in learning to communicate productively and she now knows I actually WANT to listen to her and CARE about what she wants! Imagine that! I know your daughter is older, and may be much harder to do this, but it's an idea. Don't entertain her "fits" or "bad attitudes" and see what happens. You clearly love you dd very much and I applaud you for being open to doing whatever you can to help her. Don't give up on her! (I know you won't) Praying for you!
I agree with what the ladies have said before me. Family counseling by a GOOD counselor that has no agenda but to help you become a whole family again! De-schooling: You may want to un-join the charter school, look up what's required for her grade in your state, and order some books and things, but do it at her pace for now. Do fun things with her that may have nothing to do with school. Re-establish your relationship with her..........AND--re-establish your authority! 13-yo's should not be traipsing all over town at all hours of the night, etc. It's going to be tough, but you do need to cut off those types of friends and activities! She shouldn't have all the choices of what she does and when she does it. There have to be guidelines that she needs to learn to live by. It sounds like deep down she WANTS to be good and do well, she's just been led astray by the crowd---don't let that crowd win! Let her know how much you want her to succeed in life, and that she won't if she keeps running with that kind of crowd and doing those types of things, and NOT doing school! I'd have agreed with her when I was her age---I would've rather not done school either! But I'm glad I did! And she will be glad, and appreciate what you're doing for her in a few years. It'll be really tough right now, but it'll certainly be worth all the trouble!!! Are there any homeschool groups in your area? It'd be great if you could find some other homeschoolers that are around her age, that may encourage her to settle in and try this homeschooling thing after all! You can check on-line for your area. I will be praying for healing and courage, patience and strength for you! And I will be praying for understanding, a changed heart and wisdom to make good choices for your dd! We're here for you! Please keep us posted, and ask any questions you like!
Thank you all SO much!!! A couple of things... Yes, we're all getting into good, faith-based counseling. I think that family counseling is only effective if it meets the family's religious needs, as well. We have expectations in our home that other, not so religious, families might not have and sometimes it's hard when you aren't "in tune" with the counselor, in that respect. I do believe in, and implement, "tough love". The weak link, unfortunately, is my husband. I think he goes easy on them, because they're "daddy's girls" and he doesn't want to be "mean" to them...and refuses to acknowledge the obvious results of his leniency! BIG SIGH!! Hence, my statement that I'M the one driving around at midnight (in pain from foregoing my bedtime medications so that I can drive and look for her)....and I "sit" on her. But, when I try to sneak one moment's rest...she's out the door. THAT, for the time being, has stopped, however. Summertime was sheer hell, I won't mince words. But the beginning of the schoolyear for everyone has toned her down, and I'm taking advantage of that fact. She's willingly cut off all of her friends, except one that we both agree is a healthy companion for her, and being with her friend is now a privilege...not a right. Secondly, I'm not sure how easily we can take the time to de-school her, given the State's restrictions, but I'll see what I can find out and, perhaps, arrange. Third...she admitted to me, this morning, that she just wanted to make me angry, yesterday, by saying she wanted to go back to junior high. We've since set up a code phrase, not to be used lightly, that just means "Stop! I've had enough of this and I can't take anymore right now" and we will either stop schooling, or we will change subjects if she prefers. Her dream is to go to law school, of all things :lol: I am proud of her goals and I think I'm seeing that she wants that goal SO badly, that she easily burns herself out in the process. We've decided, for now, to just do a half day of schooling...three of the six subjects, "flip-flopped" each day. She was very receptive to that. We will spend the remainder of the day going to an art gallery, or writing poetry or even writing a song (I barely manage on a guitar...I'm NO expert! :lol:...but she thinks it's great enough) or doing whatever she wants, as long as it is (1) together; (2) healthy; and (3) something she thinks is important to her development, either artistically or emotionally. The charter homeschool set up a group in our area to go bowling once a week, and she's very interested in that...so that will be one of our half-day activities, as well. We're just gonna take it easy. I don't want to teach her to abandon things, altogether, when things get rough...but, rather, teach her that there are many different ways to solve ANY one problem, and how to explore those avenues. I believe that, with tough love comes structure...so I've got to apply some "gentle structure" to this wild spirit, for the time being. She's not yet mature to a stage where she can be given "full rein", but it will come someday. I believe in this I'll try to keep things consistent and predictable...but let her grow within those boundaries. I will gratefully take ALL the prayers you've got and I appreciate your help, very much. Today is a new day, and she wants to get started on it...so we'll chuck yesterday and it's frustrations out the window and begin a new plan. Thank you for being there for me, with such kindness and advice. I VERY MUCH appreciate it XOXOX ~ Lisa
My first thought also was un (or de-)schooling....take some time with her. Discover each other again. Find some things in common. If you happen upon "teachable moments", take them. Even if it is just teaching her how to bake a cake. ((((((hugs for a hurting mom))))))) You'll be in my prayers.
I should've read the whole thread before I posted. I think your ideas are wonderful! May God bless you and your family with peace. I especially like the code word! Very creative!
Besides the homeschooling note...Does she have a relationship with her older sisters? Is she frustrated because things always seem to come easier for them? Where is Dad in all this? Does he support you or her in this effort to change things?
Oh, she adores her sisters. They fight, of course...she just knows how to fight better :lol: She uses their own words and logic against them and just frustrates the heck out of them. BUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTT...should anyone pose a threat to her sisters?? Oh my gosh...hell hath no more fury than she, in her defense of her loved ones. She's the "toughest softie" I've ever known in my life. We are a tight family that tells each other, at random, "I love you" many times each day. She's just got to find HER way of channeling all of that stuff in her head through her hands and actions in a positive way. As I told the school counselor yesterday "I would take a bullet for that child, without a second thought, or even half-thought. WHY in the world would you think I'm going to go easy on these major decisions, or fail to ask you -- and anyone else -- HARD questions to answer? You're going to have to PROVE to me that you hold the best option for her...my CHILD...without any ulterior motive of your own." When she learned that AZ public schools receive funding for each student in their school and, as a result, are against homeschooling or charter schools or ANYTHING that takes funding away from the school or district...she looked at me and said "He had an agenda, didn't he?" and I nodded. That's when she told me she wants to continue with me homeschooling her. She said that I was the only one she could trust to "watch her back".
Sorry! Missed a question! Dad is a loving, caring parent...but he wants to be nothin' but the "good guy". He loves our daughters with everything he's got, but he just doesn't help much (even to the extent that I received promises from everyone that, when I started hs'ing her, they would help out with the house and meals, etc....which has yet to be seen). So I need to guard against my own burnout as well, I think.
Yes you do need to guard yourself! Take good care of yourself or it's much harder to be there for your dd! It has helped some of us to instill a quiet time, where each person, INCLUDING MOM, is in their own room, or separated from each other in some way, and for 30 minutes (or whatever amount of time you choose) you each do your own quiet thing! That helps rejuvenate me so much, then I'm more ready for the afternoon and evening! We do ours after lunch and recess/exercise time. We call ours QRT (Quiet Reading Time), cuz all my kids love to read! It used to be naptime for the younger two, but turned into QRT when they got older. You pick what you want to do in that time---something that will especially help you feel good, relax, rejuvenate you.
I would seriously talk with HSLDA. But you cannot join, since you are in a Charter School. Charter Schools (even one at home) is STILL considered Public School (though you're right that the school "loses money" if she's in a charter school!). The laws you have to follow for a charter school are DIFFERENT from homeschooling! Now, I'm not trying to tell you one is better than the other, but you'll not be able to do de-schooling under the charter school like you could for homeschooling. I'm sorry, I feel like I'm not making any sense! I think you need to check out the laws and make sure you understand them. That's where HSLDA will come in! As for Daddy being a softie....sigh! All you can do is pray that the Lord, maybe through the counselor, would help him realize the need to stand tough!
Thanks for your thoughts, Jackie! XOXOX...but as I mentioned, we are on an extremely tight budget since I had to leave my job due to my disabilities. If she and I want to do homeschooling, it has to be through the charter school "version", because - as I mentioned - all of the materials...down to the art paintbrushes...cost me nothing. I simply cannot afford to homeschool her any other way. Even the $65.00 we did end up spending for spiral notebooks, a whiteboard and markers and other basic essentials set our budget back two weeks and we had to rearrange some bills Social Security is taking forever to review my claim for disability and we've been living without a second income since last September. It's been a very rough year...and, when it became obvious that she needed homeschooling (per her requests and her grade results at the public junior high), I did all my research...peeked in on forums like this to look at time, physical effort required and - the big one - monetary cost. So the charter school was my only option (at this time, anyway). That being said, however, the goal is for her to be able to advance a grade level by the end of the year. HOWEVER, if she doesn't, it's not a big deal. So, I *do* sort of have an option to de-school her by slowing down with her and taking it easier with our half days, etc...and if we don't quite make it by the deadline for end of school, we'll simply pick up where we left off in August (I'd keep her fresh with the materials provided during the summer, since they do go through 8th grade). So, I think I can implement the suggestions given here, without any "deadline fear" of what needs to be accomplished. Our teacher told me that there are many kids in the program who are one or even two grade levels behind, and they are progressing at their own rate. Now...would you like to hear the "terribly embarrassing Mommy moment"? As I mentioned in my first post, our first day of school was a no-go because we were at the doctor's office and pharmacy due to the horrible case of strep throat she woke up with. Yesterday, she just didn't want to get out of bed. At first, I thought she was stalling on even getting started on ANYTHING...but when I checked her temperature, she was running a high fever again. Soooooo...called the Dr's office and rushed her back in to tell them that the antibiotics and pain medicine weren't working for her (she couldn't stand the narcotic/expectorant syrup...it made her gag and she couldn't get it down). Turns out that, on top of her strep, she NOW had two infected ears and her throat was worsening! She wasn't telling me about the pain because she hated the syrup and I told her she didn't have to take it as long as she wasn't in pain and feeling okay Now, I think that a large part of this week's difficulty was having a very, very sick kid on my hands. And I feel like SUCH a jackass for not figuring that out (or even suspecting it...I thought the antibiotics were doing the trick!) (sigh) She has much stronger antibiotics which are obviously working (Zithromax) and a painkiller/expectorant in pill form, AND antibiotic ear serum I put in her ears to relieve the pressure every couple of hours, or so. She's made a huge improvement, already...huge. Sooooooooooo...maybe, jusssssssst maybe, next week is gonna be a little easier in a lot of ways. MAN! I hate when I miss the obvious! :::kicking dirt, here, in a wee bit of self-disgust::: Thank you ALLLLLL!! SO much!! I will let her recuperate even more this weekend and update my reports!
Almost every time I have a heated discussion with dd or she is really whiney she turns out to be coming down with something. I always think, "What's wrong with her???" and then she gets sick. Maybe things will get better once she is feeling better!
