noropeleft
New Member
Hi All,
I am new to this site and just searching for answers. A little background.....my son was diagnosed bi-polar at age 6 I have never been certain of his diagnosis but it seemed to fit. His father and I divorced when he was 9 and after consulting with his therapist it was decided that he would be better off living with Dad away from his 2 younger sisters. He was doing great until 7th grade when he discovered pot. In 8th grade he was kicked out of school for having pot on campus and did 8th grade at a study hall type school. 9th grade Dad remarried and he continued to decline. When he visted me in CA (dad is in VA) he seemed to be happy and do relatively well. In August 2011 his father and step-mother had enough and my son was sent to live with me. I was hopeful that this would be the break he needed and a chance to re-invent himself so to speak.
The first few weeks here he was great. Seemed to be adjusting well and then I caught him smoking pot. He failed the first semester of school and skips classes every day. We have good days and bad but seems like more bad. My younger daughters 11 and 9 are suffering because of his behaviors he is rude and disrespectful and really thinks there is nothing wrong with what he does and that we should just let him be. In the last few weeks he has a new group of friends that I don't know. A few weeks ago he was caught out after curfew and detained by police they called me to get him. I think he is now doing more than just pot. I have found homemade pipes and bongs in his room which I dispose of. He has stolen money from my wallet and emptied his sisters piggy banks. The school would like to kick him out but he has and IEP so they haven't done it yet. Their answer to the constant truancy is assigning Saturday school which he skips too. I have spoken with county mental health and the sheriffs department and am finding that I have no rights and can do nothing becuase we are not on welfare and he hasn't been arrested. It is now Monday night and I haven't seen him since Saturday morning. I have no idea where he is. I know he hasn't runaway just thinks he is an adult and can stay out all night if he wants to even if there is school tomorrow.
I have read in some of your posts to just kick him out, but is that legal? He is 16. He knows better than to be physical with us. I took him for an evaluation at a behavioral health hospital. When we pulled up he refused to get out of the car and then said if I go in I will just be super nice and they will think you are crazy for bringing me here. Shockingly they did not see thru him and suggested counseling which of course he refuses. I feel as if my hands are tied. He is a terrible example for my young girls and his decline breaks my heart everyday. I don't want him in my house and don't know what to do.
any advise would be greatly appreciated.
I am new to this site and just searching for answers. A little background.....my son was diagnosed bi-polar at age 6 I have never been certain of his diagnosis but it seemed to fit. His father and I divorced when he was 9 and after consulting with his therapist it was decided that he would be better off living with Dad away from his 2 younger sisters. He was doing great until 7th grade when he discovered pot. In 8th grade he was kicked out of school for having pot on campus and did 8th grade at a study hall type school. 9th grade Dad remarried and he continued to decline. When he visted me in CA (dad is in VA) he seemed to be happy and do relatively well. In August 2011 his father and step-mother had enough and my son was sent to live with me. I was hopeful that this would be the break he needed and a chance to re-invent himself so to speak.
The first few weeks here he was great. Seemed to be adjusting well and then I caught him smoking pot. He failed the first semester of school and skips classes every day. We have good days and bad but seems like more bad. My younger daughters 11 and 9 are suffering because of his behaviors he is rude and disrespectful and really thinks there is nothing wrong with what he does and that we should just let him be. In the last few weeks he has a new group of friends that I don't know. A few weeks ago he was caught out after curfew and detained by police they called me to get him. I think he is now doing more than just pot. I have found homemade pipes and bongs in his room which I dispose of. He has stolen money from my wallet and emptied his sisters piggy banks. The school would like to kick him out but he has and IEP so they haven't done it yet. Their answer to the constant truancy is assigning Saturday school which he skips too. I have spoken with county mental health and the sheriffs department and am finding that I have no rights and can do nothing becuase we are not on welfare and he hasn't been arrested. It is now Monday night and I haven't seen him since Saturday morning. I have no idea where he is. I know he hasn't runaway just thinks he is an adult and can stay out all night if he wants to even if there is school tomorrow.
I have read in some of your posts to just kick him out, but is that legal? He is 16. He knows better than to be physical with us. I took him for an evaluation at a behavioral health hospital. When we pulled up he refused to get out of the car and then said if I go in I will just be super nice and they will think you are crazy for bringing me here. Shockingly they did not see thru him and suggested counseling which of course he refuses. I feel as if my hands are tied. He is a terrible example for my young girls and his decline breaks my heart everyday. I don't want him in my house and don't know what to do.
any advise would be greatly appreciated.