Have you ever had one of those days that you just don’t know what to do as a parent? I’m living it right now! I thought I would share, because writing about difficult times is therapeutic, and I thought you all would like to know none of us have all the answers! 

I thought nursing school was hard – okay, kinda…. I thought getting in shape after having a baby was hard – yes, but not so bad… I thought getting my master’s was hard – very time consuming, but not as bad as I thought.

But, let me tell you – J.O.S.H.U.A. IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE GOD HAS EVER PRESENTED ME WITH…EVER!

Joshua is the sweetest, most intelligent, creative, cute, silly, talkative, impulsive, disruptive, unmotivated, lackadaisical kid I’ve ever encountered!!! He is doing so well intellectually and academically; but just can’t seem to keep his mouth shut, stay in his seat, or stop himself from disrupting class.

His science teacher commented on how great he did when they dissected cow eyeballs last week. He loves science! His reading level is 12th grade, rather impressive for a 4th grader. He read the entire Harry Potter series in less than 5 months when he was 8 years old. His guitar teacher talks about how creative he is. Mike said he has students that have been taking guitar lessons for over 5 years that couldn’t create and improvise music the way Josh can; he could be the next great song writer and guitarist for Phish. He gets awesome grades on his tests and projects, even earning bonus points sometimes. This is the kid that amazed the psychologist with his IQ test scores. And, lately, he’s been watching all these science shows that talk about concepts that baffle even me, such as the sixth sense, the worm holes in outer space, and galaxies far beyond our own. Yes, I’m a Proud Mom, most of the time!

Then, the dreaded email comes, as it did today… Josh was disruptive, talkative and silly in class. AAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!! There were more details, but I won’t bore you with how he got sent to the Headmaster and had to write his teacher an apology note. This kid is so smart, he thinks he can get away with acting silly, but as long as he get good grades it’s no big deal. I just don’t know what to do with him!!! (Any suggestions are welcome.) He’s already lost all toys, electronics, and only has his musical instruments and books to occupy his time as he spends the evenings for the rest of this week in his room (his dinner will go up on a tray). I am so frustrated with him!!!

I am great at helping other people with their parenting dilemmas. I have an answer for most situations, but under my own roof I’m currently stumped!  Even his teacher (who’s been teaching for well over 20 years) says she has never met a kid like him. When he is focused, he’s exceptional, creative, and does amazing work. When he doesn’t want to do something, it’s like he’s a totally different kid. Thankfully, every teacher he’s had has been just as impressed with his intelligence, just as challenged with his behavior, but has convinced me that this kid is headed for greatness… All this parenting effort and heartache will pay off! Right???

Tomorrow he will be sorry for his behavior, will act like an angel for days, and make me sorry I’ve been mad at him. This will last just long enough for me to forget what he did, and then…. well, I don’t have to tell you, do I?? He’s a boy, and boys will be boys… and boys with ADHD are even more challenging to parent!! You can check out my ADHD blog at Hyperactive or just busy…could your child have ADHD?

Parenting is one of the toughest, most rewarding, most frustrating jobs any of us will ever have. It’s hard work, but the pay offs are big!  The time you put into it pays off, and the effort you put into your parenting will make your children better people as they grow up. Go with me on this one, it’s the only hope I have at the moment. 😉

I’m convinced that God has a plan for Joshua! I’m hopeful that he will change the world someday. My current objective is to change his behavior just enough to get him there…that’s if I don’t kill him first! My answer for now is to call in all the reinforcements I can. I’ll consult with his pediatrician, psychologist, and teachers at school. Fortunately, they are all intrigued with Joshua, and will give me all the advice and support they have to offer.

I often say “God makes them cute for a reason, it’s so we don’t kill ’em!” 😉

As the title of this post states, Parenting brings the biggest rewards and the biggest challenges most of us will ever face. Through the smiles and the tears, we still have to enjoy the journey friends!! Thanks for listening. 😉