Deflated

I THOUGHT things were going great yesterday. Nate asked the people at the Y to go Pee Pee Potty! Yay! That is a huge step from the kid who would yell "NO FANK YOU" at the top of his lungs at the mere suggestion of sitting on a toilet. Now he goes, but inconsistently. We'll get there. We have until August when he starts school......

However, when I went to pick up Jack from school, there was a not so very good report from the teacher. He is apparently defiant, combatitve, and refusing to see his teachers as authority figures. He's also telling people (no teachers) to "shut up" and knocking down block towers if other kids are building them. I felt like a wilting flower as the teacher was describing this to me. I can't have the kid no one likes! Heaven before Harvard! I didn't even have the energy at that point to get mad at him, and I got all teary talking to the teacher. Being a DT and a former teacher, I can see what road I'm on. Not a pretty picture- (even though Jen tells me to quit comparing him to the kids we see. Some of them are the worst of the worst, but still...) What is SO hard is that respecting adults is such a huge push for us. He's smart. Academically, I have no concerns. I just need him to realize that HE is NOT in charge. He has a big problem with that sometimes.

Not that it's an excuse, but usually REALLY REALLY naughty behaviour is a prelude of an illness to come. Jack cannot regulate his emotions, he loses all ability to filter inappropriate reactions if he is sick. Nevertheless, he's still busted big time.

Long story short though, he DOES in fact have a blazing ear infection in his right ear, and one working on the left. As I said, not an excuse, but at least it makes me feel a little less of a failure as a parent. He had a better day today, until the end when he was stealing marbles from the good job jar and putting them in his pockets. He had better shape up by Thursday when he goes back. Either that, or on the black market he goes!