The Dr's appointment for Gage went really well. Surprisingly well.
Ok, not so surprising because I gave him his meds right before we left.
We got there just on time, and timing is important when you have a "Gage" to deal with because the more bored he becomes, the more damage he will do to both tangible items as well as my sanity. We were in and out in less than a half an hour. One medicine was increased a bit and the other we are breaking up over the day instead of one big dose. So far I'm not seeing a huge difference, but here's hoping that it works soon.
We did some shopping this weekend, and Id say we spent more time out of our house than in it. For a child with special needs Gage did very well. He of course had melt downs but not as many as he could have. There were a few points though that I wanted to slap on lookers when Gage did act up. I think instead a card that reads something like this might be better...
Please excuse the tantrum you are witnessing as my child is coping with Childhood Bipolar Disorder and unfortunately cannot always behave in the way that society expects a child to behave in public. Please feel free to learn more about this disorder at www.bpkids.org or call the National Institute of Mental Health at 1-866-615-NIMH.
Although this would be more in line with what I am thinking...
Go away. Quit staring. Please have the decency to pretend you are ignoring us. Do YOUR children act like angels just because you want them to? Think you know better? You give it a try.
Someone asked me what I would like for people around me to do when a tantrum is occurring. I don't know for sure, but I know what I do when another child is throwing a tantrum...I go about my business and act like it doesn't even phase me, and honestly it doesn't. I have enough chaos of my own that I am not bothered by another mom's chaos. Sometimes I gesture or say something that lets them know I get it. What I don't do is stare, whisper, point, say nasty things just barely audible because I really want them to hear me, or the worst one...I don't butt in. Well meaning cashiers and on lookers who start talking to my kids in order to teach them right and wrong make ME want to throw a tantrum.
An example of a good experience we have had with an on looker was on Friday. I went to the eye Dr, with both boys with me, we met my husband for lunch, and then we went to EyeMart Express to get my prescription filled. The boys had been in the eye Dr for an hour, and in EyeMart for over a half an hour while I picked out frames. When it was time to leave and I asked Gage to put down the merchandise he was carrying around the store, he lost it.
Typical behavior for a bipolar child is to become irate when they are told no. Not all the time, but more often than not, and at this point Gage was tired.
While Gage was wrenching my wrist almost backwards and throwing himself to the floor at the same time, a teenage girl who had been playing with Max offered to help me out by taking Max to my car.
That was the most help I have ever received. I wasn't judged, she didn't claim to know what Gage needed, she just asked if she could make things easier on me. I was seriously stunned. I'm not sure if I was supposed to say yes or not, but I did. And when we got to the car she offered to put him in for me. I was ok at that point and thanked her over and over and put Max in myself.
I was so shocked and appreciative of this gesture. I guess that is what I want others to do. Be helpful either by not stressing me out more because you are talking about me, staring at me, teaching me or my child a lesson, or if you feel so inclined an actual gesture is nice too.
3 hours ago






