Keep Calm and Duck

My patience is wearing thin.  We are trying to keep everything calm around here, in anticipation of Coco's first full day back to school.  We want to keep the stress levels down.  Breath easy.
     Today is tough though.  Coco is pushing the limits.  We are in the charcoal grey area where he is being a typical pain in arse teenager and having legitimate anxiety.  I think he is trying to play us a bit.  It's wearing on Caz too.  He sees that we are not yelling or screaming.  He's got his own teenage view of the world.
     "You yell at me!"
       Caz forgets all the patience we extended to him, while we were dealing heavily with his ADHD.  That is not to say we are not still dealing with it.  But we are all in a better place with that.  If he acts like a knucklehead, he needs to be prepared to be called on it.
     So tonight, we sit and wait.  We are hopeful for tomorrow.  Fingers crossed.

So You Had a Bad Day

Not a stellar day for this Dad.  Coco stayed home from school not feeling well.  I know he did some homework.  But he wasn't pushing himself at all.  I could only stay on him so much while working from home.  I had too many conference calls to be on him all day.  He put his arse down about how much school work he was going to do.  He has a lot of catch up to do.  I try not to overwhelm him.  But I need to push him to do more.
     We had a blowout when I told him to shut down the electronics.   I had also dared ask him to walk the neighbors dog.  Meltdown.  Complete and utter melt down.  I think I should take "I hate you!" and "Get out of my life" as a sign that I am doing things right.  I know we are still battling the anxiety, puberty, hormones, and IBS.  But I am taking a beating.  Just keep getting back up off the mat, right?  I stayed calm.  I did raise my voice once.  But only once.  I think that is OK.  I get one foul, right?  Sure, I do.

Mid Term Exams 2015

Caz has mid term exams all week.  I like that he is actually showing a little initiative to study.  Study habits are important.  He needs to learn how to do that effective now.  the first step is always the hardest.  It's like anything, you need to make a concious decision to do something first.  At least he know realizes that he can't just wing it.  He can't just show up and expect that he is going to be ready. He can't possible think he has retained everything he has learned so far this year.
     Coco starts to up his game to two classes a day this week.  He has picked out his proposed agenda for the week.  He knows he needs to hit some of the classes that he has been neglecting.  By that I mean there are subjects that he had not begun to catch up.  We have a plan though.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

OK, maybe not Tiffany's.  At the Hop.  The Brant Rock Hop to be precise.  I will take another win.  I took both boys out for breakfast this morning.  And I got them both to go to Colony Place in Plymouth.  The draw was helping to pick out a new TV for the living room.  I couldn't get Coco out of the car and into Best Buy.  But I still chalk it up as a win.
     Caz actually was eager to help.  He was even more eager to help pick out a PC.  He really wanted to strip down the old one for spare parts.  He is building his own computer.  I am very supportive of the project.  I like that he is interested in creating something like that on his own.  Maybe it's the start of a budding career.  Who knows?  I only think it can help him in the long run.

Coco Goes to the Movies

Another weekend win!  I got Coco out of the house on a weekend.  Another big step towards recovery.  Sure, it sounds innocuous enough, just going to a movie.  But that is a big deal.  We almost didn't make it.  I had been playing with him all morning, and asked if we could have some Father/Son Fun time.  He said sure.  Of course, we had been trying the previous two weekends and failed.  But he was playing along this time.  I asked him if he wanted to know where we were going or be surprised.  He wanted to be surprised.  But Demi, trying to help, almost blew it.  She was right out of a bad movie.  After her first gaff, she kept on going.  Every two minutes it was a question nor statement about our destination.  Coco started tensing up.  He said his stomach hurt and just laid on the couch, while he was supposed to be getting ready.  I thought for sure we were doomed.  But I picked him up playfully and joked about dropping him on his head.  As soon as he laughed, I knew I had him.  So off we went to see The Hobbit - Battle of the Five Armies.  I got him a ginger ale that was large enough to last a week.  He crushed it and then had to pee halfway into the movie.  We made it all the way through.  I pushed my luck and tried to get him to go for new shoes.  No die there.  But hey, we were out of the house for 3 hours.  Huge step.  

Drive

It's official.  Caz is now signed up for Driver's Ed.  We had a quick talk about a few local programs.  When it came time to decide, Caz decided he did't want to pay the difference ($200) between the tow program through the school and the private local class.  Good call.  I know the teacher in the local program.  He was my high school head football coach.  Great guy.  He's been teaching Driver's Ed for decades.  Caz should be in good hands.  I can't believe the time has come.  But it surely has.

Streaking in the Quad

We have a legitimate streak.  All 5 days to school.  Coco was a champ.  We almost had a doubleheader on Friday.  He did go to lunch.  Extra time there.  That is a big step.  He knows he needs to up his game next week.  He is already prepared.  We are very proud of him.  I think he is proud of himself too.  That is more important.  He needs to win his inner battle with himself.  This is a great sign that progress is being made.