SIX STARS!!

As my readers and friends know, Preston has been having a very difficult time at school lately. He started the school year out very well, then in November, started having some behavior problems. As the year has gone on, things have been getting worse.

Around January, Preston started behaving better, getting a total of 6 stars out of 6 stars a day. The past few weeks though, we have been lucky if Preston can get 1 or 2 starts per day. He's been throwing horrible temper tantrums, throwing things, showing lots of anger towards the teachers and his classmates, etc. As I had said in a few blogs back, we don't see this child at home; he's so good when he's home with us. However, when his behavior starts getting bad like this, he also has another problem; he starts pooping in his pants, this he does do at home also. He tries to stop himself, but does get it in his underwear. We have to yell at him to try to sit on the potty and poop, and after fighting with him for a few minutes, we can usually get him to sit on the potty, but usually by then he already has a stain in his underwear. We've had to give him a couple of enemas, because by trying to hold it in, he's stretching out his bowels and things are getting impacted. Ok, maybe too much information, but there's a point, I promise.

Preston hadn't had any potty issues for months, but since his behavior at school has deteriorated, he started going in his pants regularly. When we ask him why he's doing these things, he just says "because I'm bad". "Give me away"...etc.

While this breaks my heart, and I feel horrible, I do get really angry. I try to tell him that he's not bad, just making bad choices, etc., etc. I've tried over and over to pound it in his head that we love him no matter what but want to see him do better.

I have to admit it though...lately, with his behavior at school and the pooping in his pants constantly, I've been having a difficult time not showing my feelings towards him...I feel like I'm constantly yelling at him and just plain ignoring him because I don't know what to do with him. With the teachers' attitudes towards both Preston and I..and her comments to other teachers, like she's going to quit because of the days she's having with Preston (and a couple of other difficult boys) I'm just embarrassed to call him my son.

Anyone who knows me personally knows that I absolutely love my children and would do anything for them. I love being a mom more than anything. So, don't judge me...but lately, like I said, Preston has just been horrible at school, but good at home..I've just had a really hard time dealing with it.

Anyhow, my point of this whole blog tonight is that today, Preston got 6 stars out of 6 stars again, and went poop on the potty all by himself, with no one telling him to go!! I can't even tell you how proud of him I was today. From the time I picked him up at school and he told me he got 6 stars, I have done everything I could to spend some one on one time with him and remind him how proud I am of him. It's almost like today, I fell in love with my oldest son all over again. He was a totally different kid when getting praised, instead of moping around telling me how sorry he was for being bad at school, etc. I know it's only one day, but, we have to take one day at a time, right? Maybe, just maybe, with the praises and attention he got from us today since he was so good, he will try as hard again tomorrow. Oh yeah, and he got his free pizza coupon from his book-it program at school today, so, since he was so good today, we took the kids to Pizza Hut so he could use his coupon; he was very excited.

Thanks for letting me ramble. I'll keep you update.

Michele