Same old

Got a call from the school last week. Jackson has been having a hard time with one of his teachers. He was mean to her and she reported it, which led to the principal calling me to arrange for me to come in and chat. I did that on Friday. Apparently he's been acting out, again, but no one thought to let me know for a month. Which contradicts what I was told on the phone, that he was doing well this year. I know the resource teacher was not in, so I wasn't able to check in with her when he told me he wanted a new teacher, and to not go at all. I wonder if we will go through this every year now? It reminds me of how he was with one of his teachers last year, he hated her at the start, but by the end of the year he was sad to see her leave the school. So somehow she managed to connect with him.

I get it, he's hard to get connected to, he has strong opinions and will call you on anything he feels is unfair. But he gets loud, and the language! He apparently scares the other kids, and the teachers. What can I do about that? I can't force him to respect them. Sure, kids are supposed to, but he is not the kid who does so blindly and you'd better give him a reason to. And if you let him push, he will knock you down.

He has not (yet) missed any school for this though. He is still going to morning daycare, dropped off at 7:30, I work 8 to 4, and he gets home around 4. Unless he goes to play with a friend after school. He wants a real cellphone for this. I've said no. He has my really old s4, which has no plan associated to it, and the battery is dead, doesn't last a full 8 hours. I am considering options. I want to upgrade mine to an s10, and perhaps I will get him a pay as you go plan. There is one through my provider that is good for a year, has 3GB data (for the year), unlimited evening and weekends, plus some minutes for during the day, and I think unlimited texting. He'd have to earn more data, or just not really use that, and use the wifi at home. I'm considering. It would be a Christmas gift I think. So I have time to consider it.

We are taking him to the doctor on Tuesday for his sore feet. They are the bane of bedtime, sore feet, can't sleep, rather thrash around and scream. I lost it on him, cannot handle the screeching. I made him the appointment to miss the least amount of work and school. Then I tried to find solutions (again). And see magnesium may help. I know it helps one calm down, and help fall asleep. Also read it can help with muscle pain and soreness. So. I found him a liquid version and he takes 200 mg about 2 hours before bedtime. Seems to help, sort of? Maybe it's all a placebo but between that and the melatonin, he at least falls asleep better than he was. We will ask the doctor about it, and I also hope to get a referral or prescription for physiologist. Though Jackson will refuse to go.

Also working on connecting with him more. We play board games in the evening, his choice of game. And I try and get him talking more. We are also watching shows together, instead of him watching Youtube. Gives us things to talk about. I look forward to some new shows starting, and the new streaming services that are coming as well. But I am trying to give more compliments, and just generally talk more.

I am still hoping to move in the spring/summer. Not sure exactly where. The new places by his school are very nice, and will be brand new (still being built, not occupied yet). But there are some other places that would be nice as well, I think. Not sure. Perhaps closer to work, or to more work locations? But he doesn't want to change schools and have to make new friends. He would not miss his teachers, though I do wonder if a change would be good. I suspect things would follow him to a new school. Some of the places I've been looking at have pools, dog parks. As long as they have in suite laundry and air conditioning, covered parking, I'm good. Covered parking is, I guess, a nice to have. But laundry is a must have. I'm not using coin, shared machines.

Fall has arrived, the weather is a bit cooler. I guess I'll need to get him pants soon, and snow gear before too long. October, money should improve, or be a disaster. One or the other. My parents bought him a costume for halloween. At least that is taken care of. I will need new boots this year too, my old ones were getting leaky by the end of last year. Mine at least are less expensive. His will probably cost a fortune and only be good for one year.

Summer seemed to hardly last. It was nice but time seems to move very fast. Jackson is almost 10, I am creeping up on 45, and life is not how I thought it would be. I guess it never really is. And it isn't bad per se, just not what I expected. We play the game of life sometimes and I like when my little peg gets to have children fill the car. I wish I had more, but age, money and my health, and my kiddos problems, have hindered that and I have (mostly) accepted it. We have no trip planned for this winter, or at least not one I expect we can afford. I am going to focus on moving, and then we'll see about next winter.