Home 2 weeks & already feeling the strain....

[Hound dog]

Linda

Do you happen to have any old catalogues around like JC Penny's? I used to make homemade paper dolls when I was young from the pictures of models in the catalogues. Hours and hours of quiet fun. Then I'd take pictures from advertisements and cut out things for them to have or whatever.

I passed it on to my girls who also loved it for a really long time.

Scrapbooking might also be something fun and creative for her to do. N loves to scrapbook.

 

[Sheila]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been disinvited to play dolls or color because I don't do it right. </div></div>

That made me smile and revived a memory of difficult child getting aggravated with-me and telling me I didn't know how to play "cars." lol

Glad things went more smoothly than expected.

 

[BestICan]

Hi, a quick thought: My difficult child loves to hear downloaded podcasts from websites like storynory.com. You can pop the files into an ipod or play them directly from the computer.

Also, when screen time gets old, or we get tired from reading, we borrow Harry Potter cassette tapes from the library.

I sometimes buy some new kind of bubble bath and encourage difficult child to get in and take a long "play" bath (no battles about having to wash).

My son is a lot younger than your daughter but maybe something here with spark a good idea.

Best,

Jen

 

[flutterbee]

It sounds like you have lots of good ideas for planned-type activities. I know you've said that if kt plays with her dolls she tends to fall into trauma reenactment. I wonder if you ever play make believe with her so it's more controlled. The kids really get a kick out of it.

For example, when my kids were younger (and even sometimes now even though easy child tries really hard not to smile and laugh), I would sometimes play the French chef. I would take on a (really bad) French accent and go through elaborate and hoity-toity-goofy contortions and dialogue to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or something equally as un-gourmet. The kids (after falling over laughing at me) would inevitably pick some character to be - sometimes going along with the French chef thing and sometimes going in a whole new direction.

Just a thought.

 

[busywend]

Linda, did kt have dolls at Residential Treatment Center (RTC)?

Funny about you not playing 'right' - I got that, too. I heard that more when it was a board game, difficult child loved to change the rules in her favor of course!

 

[timer lady]

I guess the trauma re-enactment is the hardest for all of us. I do step in with more positive, happier scenarios. Even goofy - I'm good at goofy.

Sheila, I get "disinvited" a lot. I'm assigned as grandma to kt's doll children - my "put some clothes on that child" drive kt nuts.

Thanks again ladies - today is a new day. It's pouring rain again - PCA is due in at 1 pm. I'm going to be baking cookies for wm's foster home & my father today. I'm hoping kt will join in at some point.

 

[rejectedmom]

Linda, I fear you are putting way too much stress on yourself.
I realize kt is very ill but you do not have to plan out every minute of her day. Take a deep breath and try not to stress. Kt will pick up on your anxiety. The more relaxed you are the better she will do. I do believe this is your PTSD reacting. Take care of you too! (((HUGS))) -rm

 

[DDD]

I've got to tell you guys, I just can't read Harry Potter aloud.
Yep, I sure do know how to read but I found it impossible to
follow the flow. Plus (unlike the whole entire world...lol) I
think "some" of that series is scarey.

IF I had known there were CDs available that is the way I would
have gone for sure!

Maybe it would be interesting to have a thread on childrens
books that CD families have enjoyed??? DDD

PS: Dreamer I never, ever, ever ) meant to indicate that I
thought you were being critical. Really! If my post read that
way to anyone, I sincerely apologize.

 

[dreamer]

DDD, it's OK, I just did not want to sound like I was being critical. I was only trying to offer up ideas, too. thank you, tho.

Harry Potter? my kids and I never read any....and we have just last week tried our first audio version of any book. LOL. Sadly we got it at the library and........it skipped way too much, LOL. (just my luck)

 

[DammitJanet]

Have any of the kids read the Brighty of Grand Canyon or Misty of Chincotique books? Very good.

On coloring...Cory used to love those velvet coloring things you buy at like walmart or micheals. He also loved the latch hook rugs. Im trying to think of the things he did when he was "in care". He learned to crochet. Paint by numbers. Ohhhh...we have some little ceramic pieces he made, some leather crafts and some oragmi xmas ornaments.