Friday, May 10, 2013

A DAY IN THE LIFE

The mother of my new 7 y/o patient confided to me that she simply did not believe the complaints her daughter’s 2nd grade teacher had about her classroom behavior until she decided to see for herself. The following is her verbatim list of what her daughter did over one three hour afternoon, including lunch and music class. (By the way, her teacher later commented that this had been one of her “better days”.)
  • Smacked papers hung in hallway (when her teacher got onto her, she said she didn’t do it)
  • Played with egg from desk (it was a part of a project) – 2x
  • Played with hair bow
  • Up to pencil sharpener – 3x
  • Feet not on floor – 10x
  • Dropped pencil – 3x
  • Put jacket on – 2x
  • Took jacket off – 3x
  • Not paying attention – 9x
  • Looked at book instead of listening
  • Wrote on chair and desk
  • Stood up – 18x
  • Tattled
  • Clapping hands
  • Shoes not on feet – 4x
  • Did not raise hand when teacher asked who was not allowed
  • Fingers in mouth – 3x
  • Laughing
  • Saying random words (“hun”, “mom”, “oww”) at inappropriate times
  • Skipping to the pencil sharpener
  • Asked to go to the bathroom – 3x
  • Dropped book
  • Talked out of turn – 7x
  • Dancing at desk
  • Raised hand to tell a story after teacher said “No more stories”
  • Didn’t put lunchbox up
  • Looked at reading test while teacher explained block project
  • Scooted seat across floor
  • Didn’t know what area and perimeter was even though teacher explained it 3x
  • Hitting and playing with Cameron
  • Didn’t clap to show she was paying attention
In Music Class
  • Whistling – 4x
  • Singing while the teacher was talking
  • Hit a boy
  • Hands in mouth
  • Hair in mouth
  • Yelled at boy to sit down
  • Rude to teacher (about teacher’s voice)
  • Singing after told to be quiet
  • Shouted out answer without raising hand – 3x
  • Did not sing
  • Scooted seat – 2x
  • Shoes not on foot – 3x
  • Stood up – 6x
  • Kicking feet up
  • Did not stand when told too
  • Clap hands
  • Played with friends shoe
  • Tattled
  • Sung too loud – almost to the point of screaming.
It is funny and sad and scary all at the same time. We want to keep her spark, but prevent her wildfire from spreading out of control. The only way to help her get all this under control is for parents to recruit a 3 person team of teacher-counselor-doctor to come up with treatment plans that the family coordinates for success in grades and relationships.  More on that process to follow.