Now I understand ..

.. why some mothers eat their young!! It's so they don't become teenagers!

I had a meeting at school this morning about Alex and some of his behaviours. The meeting itself went well and I came away feeling like we were all on the same page and would be able to work together to help Alex. I should have had Alex in the meeting too; maybe then he would be on the same page as the rest of us. The meeting finished at 9:30am and I was at work by 10am. I was back at the school at 12:30pm picking Alex up. And on the last day of term too.

He had decided he didn't want two boys talking to his friend so he told them to leave. When they didn't, he threatened them and when they still didn't leave, he thumped them both. In the ensuing scuffle, Alex fell over and hurt himself which he then had the nerve to complain about to his class teacher. The original phone call to come pick him up was that he had hurt himself and wanted to go home. The next phone call, while I was packing up at work to go get him, was that he had started a fight and "it would be in his best interests to not be on the school grounds for the rest of the day." After hurriedly explaining things to my boss I raced down to the school expecting to find an at least somewhat contrite child, but was greeted with a boy who has absolutely no appreciation of what he's putting everyone through.

I know we're supposedly not given more than we can handle, but I really wish someone had checked with me first. I'm at my wit's end as to what to do with him and don't know where else to turn. Ultimately I'm hoping this is just a stage he's going through and also that I've got enough patience to get through it and out the other side with both of us relatively intact. At the rate we're going, alive is all I dare hope for at the moment. He is on severe restriction of privileges (computer, TV, etc) and is grounded for the holidays. (Not that that makes much difference .. he doesn't have a social life outside of school!)

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

breathe in..1.2.3.4..breathe out..1.2.3.4..breathe in..1.2.3.4..breathe out..1.2.3.4......

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading and letting me vent. If not, oh well, you won't be reading this anyway!