On Saturday, I spent about 3 hours of my alone time completing a little project for Max. Max loves Pokemon. He loves to play the card game, he loves to read the books and study the guides and can rattle off facts and figures about individual cards until you beg him to please stop.
I've purchased Pokemon cards for him at garage sales and they have been living in a bin under his bed as well as scattered all over the house. Enter the daycare boys. They are also into Pokemon cards and they want to trade and barter and make deals. I've had Pokemon cards all over my kitchen table for the last week.
So, this weekend, while the kids were with their Dad, I decided to complete a little project for Max because Max gets the short end of the stick around here. He is the child who gets in the most trouble, who has had the hardest time with our divorce - he is the child who tries so hard to be good and still struggles.
Last month I met with the principal of his school, his teacher and the school psychologist who all suggested that Max may have ADD. At first I scoffed at the idea as I am a "do not medicate your kids" kind of Mom. But when both of my doctor girlfriends said I should look into it I decided maybe I should. Max may be the brightest kid to get the worst grades in school - because he never knows when he has homework or a test or he completes his work at home and then forgets to turn it in. He has a hard time transitioning from one subject to another often has to be told something three. four, five times before he actually hears and listens. How much of that is just being a 10 year old boy? I don't know. He needs to be evaluated and then we'll go from there (of course the kids and I have no insurance right now so that is on hold for the time being).
This project was just a little love for Max. My sweet kid who is so hard on himself when he gets in trouble for reading instead of listening, who has become a really good helper around the house (perhaps because he now earns Wii minutes), who still wants a hug and a kiss before bedtime.
I lost track of how many cards there are. I sorted by color and then by damage points (are you impressed with my Pokemon lingo?) and then organized them all into some old binders I had in the basement.
Max was so happy that he had tears in his eyes. Totally worth three hours and a sore back.
Max is lucky to have you for his Mom. You really get him and that's exactly what he needs.
ReplyDeleteI think that sounds like a fun project. Too bad I wasn't around because I would have loved to come over and help you out. Maybe it's the organization I love and the results that follow. I agree with the above comment. You are a really good MOM!
ReplyDeleteYou are an amazing mother and I admire you so much! Max is one lucky kid!
ReplyDeletebest. mom. ever.!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove is talking/doing Pokemon with/for your boyo!
ReplyDeleteUgh for the ADD possibility. Hard just keeps going, huh.
Hugs!
poor max. So great you did this for him!
ReplyDeleteThat is so awesome. He sounds so much like Noah. Noah's my most sensitive and loving and has the most desire to please but for some reason he can't understand, he just can't. The latest sad episode was after a baseball game in which he was pulled out and another kid substituted for him because he wasn't paying close enough attention in the outfield. He realized that he had disappointed his coach, who is the person he wants to please most in the world and it just crushed him. He came home begging to take "the medicine that will help him stay focused" because he really wants to show his coach he can do a good job. At this age it's turning into a self-esteem thing, where he's realizing he's falling behind and doesn't want to. Ron still won't let him try them. I'm torn like you, not knowing if much of that is just the quirks of a highly intelligent boy. I'd still like to just try them.
ReplyDelete