This blog is my place to vent and share resources with other parents of children of trauma. I try to be open and honest about my feelings in order to help others know they are not alone. Therapeutic parenting of adopted teenagers with RAD and other severe mental illnesses and issues (plus "neurotypical" teens) , is not easy, and there are time when I say what I feel... at the moment. We're all human!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Writing Assignments


I hate coming up with writing assignments. It's hard for me so I generally put it off. This isn't a bad thing because it means the kids are in the FAIR Club longer and have more time to reflect on what they did wrong, and calm down enough to cope with the consequences of their actions.


Here's the writing assignments I came up with for Ponito and Kitty. Kitty is 13, but developmentally behind so she can't handle as much as Ponito and Bob. This is the longest assignment I've given Ponito, but I think he can handle it, and he needs to understand his behavior was unacceptable. I gave a similar assignment to Bob when she was only one year older than Ponito.


Kitty - for telling Grandma NO about cleaning her room, for yelling at Ponito when he didn’t want her to play Playstation, and then calling Mom at work and cussing at her when Mom said she needed to listen to Grandma.
Extra Chore: Help clean Mom’s work.
Writing Assignment: _ Read the book, “Handling your Disagreement,” and reread Bob’s article. Write a one page paper about why you acted the way you did with Mom, Grandma and Ponito. How did you feel inside while you were arguing? How you should have handled it differently? Write a letter of apology to Grandma, Mom and Ponito. Should you write one to anyone else?

Ponito -for going to a friend's house without telling anyone. While in the FAIR club - for threatening to kill himself, cussing and fighting with Mom in a store so that he had to be restrained.
Extra Chore: Because you had a potty mouth, you will scoop poop in the backyard and bury it in a hole in the spot where you want the dogs to poop. Use plastic bags on your hands to keep them clean.
Writing Assignment: _ Read the book How to Take the Grrr out of Anger. (It’s not that long and has lots of pictures!). Write why you think you acted the way you did. Then write 3 things you could have done to help tame your anger. Redesign the pledge on page 98 to be specifically for you. Make it look nice enough to frame. List at least 10 things that you have been upset/ mad/ sad about that you want to talk to Mom and/or Dad about. Set up a time to talk to Mom and/or Dad about your lists.


Wish me luck!

Mary

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am SO-O-O-O glad I'm not your kid! All that reading and writing as punishment. How do ADHD kids manage that? I'd think having them run about 15 laps around the block would do it...