Spring Break craziness!

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9 y/o AS DD is melting down daily if I don't allow her to play DS all day long and ignore anything I say to her. 5 y/o mentally ret*d DS is melting down multiple times daily when he doesn't get his way. 4 y/o DD is doing a GREAT job pushing both their buttons. And they're all bickering, fighting, and also playing nicely at times, but LOUDLY, and waking up the baby from his naps! AAUUUGGGHH! Add that hubby's working from home daily now and I have to keep the kids quiet when he's on conference calls and I'm totally stressed out!

I need to get the kids out of the house, but the baby does not handle changes in routine and environment well at all- insecurity with birth-mom visitation, seperation anxiety probs, sensory issues and overstimulation due to prenatal drug exposure.

I've only been dealing with this for 2 days(older kids were at G-ma's on Monday) and I"m ready to scream! How the heck am I going to handle Summer vacation? I may have to insist hubby take Friday off because I know the baby is going to be a clingy, needy, whiney little monster(I say that as lovingly as possible) after visitation appt. tomorrow and it takes him about 2 days to recover. At least the social workers are finally taking us seriously after 2 months of telling them how hard it is on him and going to court to get visitation reduced or eliminated. That will make life a TON better for us all.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do- other than murdering the three oldest?

I really worry about summer vacation. I know that once we're in a "groove" and the usual Summer routine is established, they'll do fine, but the few weeks it takes them to adjust is a nightmare. I need to find something to occupy my 9 y/o that doesn't cost a fortune and I'm hoping we can get my 5 y/o into a summer camp program for kids with developmental disabilities through the regional center. We'll see.

take a deep breath.....find a couple of minutes for yourself....get enough sleep....and if all else fails, eat your favorite lunch only AFTER having a very big piece of chocolate!

Are you able to find a babysitter or someone that can help you?

Can your 9 year old join WP?

My 9 and 7 year old sons are members of WP. It keeps them entertained and is educational - reading, spelling and keyboarding skills.

Helen

Set up a family timetable of things that you're going to do for the day (my kids like when I draw pictures of all the things). Get them to tick off each thing as you go through the day. Make sure you put in some stuff that they go off and do on their own individually (eg. half an hour reading in their rooms), and also put in something you might all do together (eg. baking). Put in "job time" too, and get them tidying their rooms, or maybe give them an individual job each. Get a supply of DVDs and schedule one in the programme to give you some space. I find that the kids really love the structure and the ticking off thing is right up any AS kid's alley.

Feel sorry for you - I know that feeling so well!!
Look forward to the holiday being over. Remember they will all be bigger by summer .

Make a plan and keep each day pretty much like the next.
One of our best holiday survival tricks is lots of car rides - we hire a car, as we don't own one, and eat up the tarmack!! !! Drive out of the city (if you're in one) and into the country side - very soothing! Let them play nintendo in the car, if they want and don't get carsick, or hear a story on CD.
It's worth a shot

!

I realize it gets expensive, but my children both really enjoy going to day camps in the summer, 9-3, similar to a school day, but they've picked which camps they want to go to. They usually do a combination of science, art, acting, and traditional.

And I go to work so I can pay for it, lol.