So the sleep over was a total success! I woke up yesterday morning really early, made coffee and set the griddle to 375 anticipating the thunder of hungry footsteps. It was nice to begin the day with quiet. Quiet and coffee are on the top of my fatherly needs list! The early rise was due to my good night's sleep, which was due to the sleeping conditions I alluded to in the last post. Here's how it went down...

The week leading up to the sleep over, the plan for sleep over night for Morgan and I was to sleep in our tent in the living room, ya know, to make it cool and exciting for the sibling NOT having the sleep over and thereby opening up her bed in their shared bedroom, so our guest had a bed upstairs with Grace. This was all fine and dandy until my wife Cindy mentioned to Morgan that I snore really loud, and she may not like it HA HA! So throughout the day of the sleep over, Morgan began mentioning maybe NOT doing the whole tent idea. (I don't blame her).

So later on I suggested that she sleep upstairs with my wife, so that she'd be in a bed, and I'd sleep in the guest room by myself (sniffle sniffle...it'll be ok...I guess...HA HA YES!!). Well they went for the whole plan, and I got the guest bed to myself TOTALLY sprawled out and snoring to no one's dismay and awoke refreshed and renewed, ready to bang out coffee and chocolate chip pancakes WITH a smile and yes, even enthusiasm for my tribe and out guest.

The morning went really well, beginning with "killer if I don't say so myself" pancakes, and the kids played without any major conflict. Our guest's mother came to pick up her daughter up at 10am on the button as planned. I told her that the girls came back from downtown in a taxi WAY after we'd gone to bed which made her laugh, and we enjoyed her conversation until it was time for them to go. The girls wanted it to last even longer, which was a sign that it went well, and our guest and her mom parted feeling it was a good experience which is all we could hope for. There was mention of a future sleep over at her friend's house which will be fun for her, and she's excited!

Later on in the day we all piled into the family truckster and headed to my parent's house for a New Year's Eve get together. We only stayed until about 8 or so. We knew the kids would get over-tired if we kept them up until midnight, and what we don't need is for them to get sick. So, though there were a few tears, we did what was right and set them up for a healthy and happy tomorrow by leaving early. And wouldn't you know? They were all out cold before we reached home. It's such a good feeling to make decisions with your children's best interest in mind and knowing you made the right call.  After all, that our first priority:  Their health and well being, no matter what.

Cindy and I got the kids to bed, and relaxed for a bit before turning in. And yes, it was before the ball dropped. It feels good to make those “health and well being” decisions for ourselves too. I had no hang over this morning, and I woke up refreshed and ready for another day with my earthly angels.

A happy beginning to the New Year indeed.

I thought that I could pretty much figure out how to maintain control of my boys.  Now that reality has set in...

My 3-year-old is full-on into defiance.  Every dad knows what I'm talking about.  You tell him not to do something, and as soon as your back is turned--he's done it, and then some!

Bedtime and naps are a daily challenge.  Within 10 to 15 minutes of putting him down, I can hear him playing.  I go in, I warn him not to get up, and within half an hour he's back up.  This can go on for 2 to 3 hours.  Warnings do not work.  Swats do not work.  Threats to get on the speed dial to Santa about his naughtiness don't work.

Then there is the classic NO. 

"Tanner, pick up your toys."
"No."

"Tanner, stop hitting your brother." (for the umpteenth time)
"No."

"Tanner, do you want me to tell Nana/Papa/Santa/anyone else cool about your behavior?"
"No."

"Then do as you're told!!!!"
"NO!"

So what should we do?  Dads, if you've got some tips out there, I'm all ears.

I'll be back with some fun stories about his brother and his daily ritual of deafening his poor Daddy.

God bless
Jason

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My oldest son has autism.  Lately, he has been going on screaming tirades that last 45+ minutes, and the slightest disagreement sends him over the edge.   This is behavior that he exhibited when he was a couple of years younger.

We thought we were on the right track with the therapy he was going through and later ended because he had accomlished a LOT...he was a lot calmer, we could reason with him (almost impossible before) and he was turning into a well-adjusted kid with little prompting.

Now he seems to be at the point where he needs to start over again.  My wife and I decided that he has to go back on CARD (Center for Autism Research and Development) therapy beause it seemed to really work for him.

But we are so frustrated that he seemed to be in the clear (at least as far as he could be), that he had progressed beyond the expectations that were set, and now it's like he's regressing.

I just want my little boy back...the way he is right now is devastating to me.