The crash... part 1

OK I am going to do this post in parts. Mainly becuase some of it is really stressful. But mostly becuase we are not really ready to make it known to people other than family and close friends.

So it is no secrete that we struggle with parenting with our son. We have asked for help in many different areas, but really not been finding appropriate help or are given very vague and useless advice from well meaning people.

I think my most hated lines are "He's a boy" and "He's 2". Well yes he is all of that, but that is not a reason for his behaviour. Really so it is normal for a 2 year old boy to hit his parents and have violent outbursts?? No I did not think so.

So after getting jack of getting no where fast with the child health nurses and our normal GP I went to another GP to get a referral to a pediatrician who has a specialty in behaviour. This turns out was THE BEST THING I have done in my parenting career so far. I stood up and said hang on this well meaning advice is crap and I know it!! I have always known it. Enough is Enough.

So we had this appointment. We got the shock of a lifetime, It feels like we have been through a car wreck, and are going through the stages of grief and anger differently but together. But all in all we have a diagnosis. I am not a neurotic parent, and my very first and early instincts about my son and his behaviour 12-18 months ago were right on the money.

But I was dismissed with all of the things above. I was also told he was very intelligent that he does not have any delays. No he does not. But he now has regressions. Yep Mr T is highly intelligent. He is 2.5 can sing the alphabet and count to ten and we are working on counting to twenty. He learns songs quickly and loves music.

So where to now? Well we have to ramp up seeking out various services. Read as much as we can and change (slowly) how we parent him. (Just so the new rules do not cause too much disruption to an already fragile little world.

Baby steps is the key. Routine and consistency is the key. New discipline tactics is the key.