(no subject)

[queenriley]

I love that lj now lets free users have 6 icons. Yay icons!

I so want a McShep icon now. I've seen a few I like, but not sure if they are snaggable, and I'm picky... since I only have 6 spaces, I want to make sure it's the perfect John/Rodney icon. I should just go make one... maybe I'll do that tonight. But I'm lazy... any links to icon sites? MmmmmStargate:Atlantis.

Also, need some advice on my daughter... I'll make it a cut to save the sanity of the non-parental units on my flist...



Okay, so Alex is willful. This is no big surprise. I've known this since the day she was born. She's just more willful and determined than I thought.

She's been in preschool 3 weeks now. Last week she was out at the end of the week because she was sick, throwing up, and couldn't go. Today she didn't want to go to school so she made herself throw up knowing I couldn't take her if she'd thrown up. As punishment I've made her stay in her room all day, resting in bed, no tv, no toys, nothing fun. I'm making it as boring as possible. She's eating nothing but toast and soup. I'm even going to McDonald's for lunch today even though it's not my favourite (but it is hers) and she's not getting any, just another piece of toast. It'll make her mad, but I don't know if it's enough to really make her get that she can't do that... that she can't make herself sick just to avoid school.

I've talked to her teacher. She's doing well. It's taken her 3 weeks to get what it took all the other kids 3 months to get to, and she's going to pass them up soon. The other kids like her. She plays well with them, they play well with her. She enjoys school once she's there and has a good time. It's just getting her to go that's the problem.

Any advice? I'm kind of at a loss here...


In other news, I'm applying around like crazy for a night/weekend job. School starts in March for me and I need some cash before then... help with the bills and stuff. Hopefully I can continue working weekends while in school, and then get a better job once I'm certified. I need nights and weekends because there is no daycare for Sam yet, and if there was, I doubt a menial minimum wage job would cover it. Yay menial minimum wage job.

Comments

[mrs-bombadil.livejournal.com]

Was she going to one before you left Texas? If not then this separate anxiety is probably situational, as I'm sure you've already figured out (especially if she knows and understands about you starting school soon). There was a girl in my daughter's first preschool class you regularly threw up at school but it didn't seem intentional, mostly anxiety. It tooks weeks for her to adjust. Other kids had major crying jags every morning.

The only thing I can suggest is just keep taking her: if you know she's not sick, don't let the vomiting work. And, don't be surprised if she's a bit unbearable after you pick her up. My daughter still quite often seems to unleash all the bad after, and release tension resulting from, trying to be good all day when she gets home.

Get in some 'just Mommy and me' special time everyday and just try to continue to be as patient and calm, yet firm, as you can be.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

She was not in preschool in Texas, so this is a first. I did expect an adjustment period, but I didn't expect her to go to the extreme of making herself throw up just to get out of it.

I'll keep taking her, and I'll try to make more time for just her and me after school. So far it's been the two of us during her bath and then bedtime, so maybe 30 minutes a day... not enough, but I try to get more during weekends. I'll see about having my mom take Sam after dinner every night so Alex and I can have a whole hour just her and me and see how that works.

Thanks. :)

[angua9.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the goal is to make "going to preschool" as boring and routine as possible -- no big deal. You might try leaving her there for shorter periods at first (if that's possible), so she knows she's not losing you for long.

But, you know... it might just be that she discovered the pleasures of being out of school sick for the first time ever, and wanted to do it again. I know she's a very social girl, and I'll bet she really likes preschool, so it seems to me you have a lot going for you in this battle. Is there someone at preschool who "needs" her to show up? A friend or a teacher who will be sad if she's not there? A pet that needs feeding, or a plant that needs watering, or something like that? That might help.

Good luck!

[tefkas.livejournal.com]

*hugs* - I really have no idea what to suggest re Alex :-(

*more hugs*

[forloveofrhea.livejournal.com]

The best piece of advice I feel I can give anyone is to apply for a job at a hospital. I've worked Friday evenings and weekend days for five years since I've been in Austin. It's perfect, I can go to school Monday through Thursday. The hospital has great benefits and regular raises. I'm a clerk. I'm positive with your computer skills you could get a good clerical job. You don't usually have to have too much experience and they will train you. Plus you get to wear scrubs!

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

I hadn't even thought to try, but that's a great idea. It would give me good exposure for during school too.

Thanks!

[forloveofrhea.livejournal.com]

Are you going into nursing or some sort of medical profession? If you work at a hospital most of them will do tuition reimbursement after you have worked for them for 6 months-1 year. I can't get it though because I'm not in school for a medical field.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

I'm getting my CNA certification through a short class starting in March. After working in that for awhile I'm going to go on to get my RN, but I want to be a CNA first... get a feel for it and make sure it's what I really want to do.

[forloveofrhea.livejournal.com]

When I worked at Memorial Hermann in Houston I started out as a transporter (moving patients around) and just sort of moved into a CNA position. The hospital certified me so I didn't have to pay to take a class. Some will do that, you should check around and maybe you could get a job as a patient care tech and they would certify you.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

I already checked around here... they prefer you take the class through the community college for the certification, so that's what I'm doing.

The RN program, however, is directly through the local hospital and they will pay for at least part of the tuition if you agree to work there for a set number of years.