~ma to you, Erin.

Java, I'm assuming that the panties and scarves were cunningly crafted from meat. Upon reflection, Parma ham or something along those lines might not be too disgusting. Assuming one was allowed to wear some kind of actual panties underneath. Although my initial mental image was more lumps-of-raw-steak, which is probably the route they went if they were aiming for maximum grossoutage...

My brain does not want to move out of bank holiday mode. But! I drove 100km this morning, by myself! First time ever. I r proud.

God, you and me both, girl! We had Thursday off school, Friday at school, and then Sat, Sun & Mon off school! That whole back-to-work thing - not so much with the yay.

(well, except that my kids continue to be adorable, so that's good...)

That sounds wonderful, Fay! I've four days off booked at the end of May, and I'm counting down the days.

Yay Jars with the mad driving skillz.

~ma for Erin. In my thoughts all morning.

It is smoky outside this morning. Not a single thing in any news reports on line. I don't know whether it is a controlled burn of sugar cane fields, or drought related fires. But not nice weather for breathing. Looking at the weather for the week did show me that it is going to be close to 90 every day. Guess I better get the A/C fixed.

Anyone else hear about the study on adopted vs. natural children and tendencies for mental issues as teenagers? If not, one of the mental disorders they talked about was Oppositional Defiance Disorder. Joe and I called BULLSHIT on it in the car and I came to work and looked it up. Here are the criteria:

A pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior lasting at least six months during which four or more of the following are present:

1. Often loses temper

2. often argues with adults

3. often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults' requests or rules

4. often deliberately annoys people

5. often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior

6. is often touchy or easily annoyed by others

7. is often angry and resentful

8. is often spiteful and vindictive

The disturbance in behavior causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning.

I know Em's only three, but she does half of these and I am pretty sure that it's not some damned disorder. What the hell? Are we medicating kids for any kind of negative behavior now? I'm on board with ADD and ADHD, but this? Seems like totaly hippie-dippie bullshit.

Shit - *I* do most of these things and I'm pretty sure I'm just an a-hole.

I remember birthing the boys and they do all that stuff. I did too. What is normal teen behavior supposed to look like?

eta: Hey! No dissin' the hippies.

I'm pretty that describes all teenagers, adopted or not, at one point or another.

All kinds of ~ma to Erin.

And big hugs to Laura, because I only just caught up.

Aims, one of the parenting podcasts I listen to had an episode on ODD recently, and the guest they were interviewing (who had done the research and written a book) explicitly said that 3 year-olds (one of the hosts has 3-year old twin boys) are just like that, and a toddler arguing all the time and refusing to hear "No" is not a behavioral disorder, it's just them being toddlers.

It's the last sentence that's the key:

The disturbance in behavior causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning.

Like with any other behavioral disorder, there's a wide spectrum from normal to diagnosible, and it's not a disorder until the behavior is causing "clinically significant impairment."

Here's the link if you want to listen. I thought it was really interesting stuff.

As far as medicating goes, I don't remember them mentioning any kind of medication for ODD - most of it was just how to talk to your defiant kid so they'll listen.