Today is supposed to be a writing day. Since I don’t have any paying assignments at the moment, I’m working on my ebook about writing for the corporate world. Or at least I should be. But my heart hurts this morning, so I’m baking…because that’s what I do when I’m sad.
The Challenging One’s school called me this morning to tell me that he was in the guidance counselor’s office crying and unable (or unwilling) to say what was wrong. I knew. It was that dang homework anxiety again. I don’t understand why, but the anticipation of homework overwhelms him like the creature you run from in nightmares, only to look up and find it suddenly looming ahead of you. I couldn’t pick him up. Couldn’t. Because then this would become something we’d have to deal with every day. I couldn’t give him any more medicine than he’d already had. I asked the guidance counselor to get one of his homework assignments and let him sit there and complete it to calm himself down.
We have an IEP meeting on Friday. Thank God. Because I can’t keep pumping more meds into the kid to relieve his anxiety long enough to get his homework done. I’m not sure what our options are — this is new territory for me — but I am requesting that he not be given homework this week. This will give him a chance to pull it together a bit as well as provide us with some anecdotal evidence: does not having homework make a difference in his mental state? I’m waiting on a call from the principal to find out. I love our principal…but Mama Bear is pacing.
I'm a mom to three stair steps (all 3 born in under 3 years), one of whom struggles with OCD, ADHD and a few other things. I wrote professionally for 12 years before quitting to stay home with my kids.
Life on the Stair Steps 
I can feel your frustration through your words. Sending good thoughts your way that you all can figure out the best plan for him.
Thank you!