With the exception of a meltdown by Quinn last night because I wouldn’t go downstairs with her to get her toothbrush we’ve had an excellent 4 days of behavior.

Gage is doing remarkable and that is good for Quinn. He is actually helping her stay in check by ignoring her when she is going down the path to Bad Choices (I like how that sounds like a destination, because after the few months we’ve had with behavior; it is, in fact, a destination.) and it is helping immensely.

We’ve been letting Gage stay up a little later than Quinn for a couple of months now. She needs more sleep (12-13 hours is about what her body prefers) – it gives him some chill time and also we’ve used it as a privilege for good behavior (although not consistently). Until about a week ago, he would sneak back downstairs while we were tending to her and watch about 30 minutes of TV (I know! Bad Mommy!). That is still happening occasionally but now we’re letting him stay up in his bed with books and a flashlight hanging off the ceiling shining on his loft bed for a while longer. He’s arranged books and work books from school on his bed in categories and for the last 4 nights/days things have been better. I have no idea why, but he is less resistant to working on homework and reading. I made sure he had books up there that he can read easily and it seems he is talking more about what he can do instead of what he can’t.

Some of this new direction/change is as a result of my seeing the behavioral doc last week – nothing like him looking you in the eye and saying "this is why that is happening" to help you figure out a new way to approach a situation. Some of it is me calming the hell down and not letting situations go from minor to major because Gage ticks me off. I’m working VERY HARD on I’m changing the energy (this is quite a bit harder than it appears on paper and in the comfort of a behaviorists office, where he is all…"well you should…and then that should happen…and then this should work…). And directing Gage (and by association, Quinn) more closely for play, activities for now doesn’t hurt either.

I know you must think I am a fool for even mentioning how well things are going, but there you have it. It’s out in the universe. I hope I don’t regret this tomorrow.