Ugh, my Ryan...
Remember the sweetness I spoke of wrt my baby, Ryan? Where has that sweetness gone? :(
I struggle with him like I never did w/my 3 other children. How can that be? How can 3 children be so relatively "easy," and this one make me want to crawl under a rock and hide sometimes?
DH & I used to joke that we thought we were really awesome parents (because of how great the older 3 "turned out"). After Ry, we changed that to reflect that we weren't awesome parents, but that we had been "lucky parents," until Ry. ;)
Truthfully, he's not as bad as some kids I've been around. But for our expectations and tolerance level, as parents, he makes me crazy sometimes.
Last week, he scratched a friend's neck (while being babysat by my friend - she has a 5yo ds and 3yo dd). I was m.o.r.t.i.f.i.e.d. That may not sound like a big deal, but it is to me. I wouldn't have even known about it (no big deal to neighbor friend), but Connor was quick to inform me, of course.
I did cut him SOME slack because I knew he was coming down with something. Sure enough, the next day I took him to the dr., where I was told he has walking pneumonia. It's hard to tell when any of my sons are sick as they hardly complain. I never "know" much is going on until they're *really* sick, as in pneumonia. sigh.
He's been on antibiotics (& inhaler), so I thought he was doing better. Then, I go to pick him up from pre-school today and his teacher says he had a rough day. Lots of "no's" (to him, I guess). I asked how he reacted to those "no's," and she said it took a few times, but then he got it. Again, not a huge deal, but I despise back-talk.
I asked Connor what the problem (w/Ry) was at school, and he said that a little boy was punching him. C says he told R to go tell the teacher, but instead, R chose to fight back. sigh.
I have always told my kids that you do not handle things physically. Matthew's older cousin beat him w/a plastic sword and M did nothing to retaliate. I'm afraid child #4 isn't going to just "take it" like the older 3 might.
He is the youngest. He is getting over a pretty heavy-duty sickness. He does go to pre-school in the p.m., despite the fact he's a young 3 who still needs a daily nap. (Hate him going in the p.m. but had no choice per school.) And this little boy who was provoking R has some heavy duty developmental issues. I'm not sure what his dx is, but he is single-handedly the most physically aggressive kid I've seen in the pre-school (this is our 4th year there). I am not real comfortable w/this child around C & R, to be honest.
I am not trying to make excuses for R, believe me. I was quite angry when I picked him up. But, I have a hard time understanding how some of these younger (first year pre-schoolers) are supposed to conduct themselves when this wild kid is running his wagon into them on the playground or he's yanking the play dough out of their hands at the art table. He is in constant overdrive.
I'm hoping that next week will bring better days for Ry. I have to be diligent about getting his naps in everyday that he doesn't have school (so he's not exhausted AT school the few days he's there). Hopefully, one more week of antibiotics in his system will help, too.
I don't know. I just don't like being in this position.
I struggle with him like I never did w/my 3 other children. How can that be? How can 3 children be so relatively "easy," and this one make me want to crawl under a rock and hide sometimes?
DH & I used to joke that we thought we were really awesome parents (because of how great the older 3 "turned out"). After Ry, we changed that to reflect that we weren't awesome parents, but that we had been "lucky parents," until Ry. ;)
Truthfully, he's not as bad as some kids I've been around. But for our expectations and tolerance level, as parents, he makes me crazy sometimes.
Last week, he scratched a friend's neck (while being babysat by my friend - she has a 5yo ds and 3yo dd). I was m.o.r.t.i.f.i.e.d. That may not sound like a big deal, but it is to me. I wouldn't have even known about it (no big deal to neighbor friend), but Connor was quick to inform me, of course.
I did cut him SOME slack because I knew he was coming down with something. Sure enough, the next day I took him to the dr., where I was told he has walking pneumonia. It's hard to tell when any of my sons are sick as they hardly complain. I never "know" much is going on until they're *really* sick, as in pneumonia. sigh.
He's been on antibiotics (& inhaler), so I thought he was doing better. Then, I go to pick him up from pre-school today and his teacher says he had a rough day. Lots of "no's" (to him, I guess). I asked how he reacted to those "no's," and she said it took a few times, but then he got it. Again, not a huge deal, but I despise back-talk.
I asked Connor what the problem (w/Ry) was at school, and he said that a little boy was punching him. C says he told R to go tell the teacher, but instead, R chose to fight back. sigh.
I have always told my kids that you do not handle things physically. Matthew's older cousin beat him w/a plastic sword and M did nothing to retaliate. I'm afraid child #4 isn't going to just "take it" like the older 3 might.
He is the youngest. He is getting over a pretty heavy-duty sickness. He does go to pre-school in the p.m., despite the fact he's a young 3 who still needs a daily nap. (Hate him going in the p.m. but had no choice per school.) And this little boy who was provoking R has some heavy duty developmental issues. I'm not sure what his dx is, but he is single-handedly the most physically aggressive kid I've seen in the pre-school (this is our 4th year there). I am not real comfortable w/this child around C & R, to be honest.
I am not trying to make excuses for R, believe me. I was quite angry when I picked him up. But, I have a hard time understanding how some of these younger (first year pre-schoolers) are supposed to conduct themselves when this wild kid is running his wagon into them on the playground or he's yanking the play dough out of their hands at the art table. He is in constant overdrive.
I'm hoping that next week will bring better days for Ry. I have to be diligent about getting his naps in everyday that he doesn't have school (so he's not exhausted AT school the few days he's there). Hopefully, one more week of antibiotics in his system will help, too.
I don't know. I just don't like being in this position.