Bipolar Tuesday (With MommyLebron)

Ever wondered exactly what goes on in The Drama Mama household? Today I give you the raw unedited peek into my mood swing filled day. Come on in, take off your shoes at the door please, grab yourself a drink and relax on my couch. It's gonna be a long Sunday...

GC wakes me up late on Sunday morning stating "The kids are playing outside on the front porch."
"Did you give Jellybean permission to take Scooby outside?" I ask him, as he lays in the bed beside me.
"No." He says.
"Did she ask your permission to go outside?"
"No."
GC rolls out of bed, and Scooby is tapping me to give me hugs and morning snuggles.
"I go outside!!" he says, placing his ice cold hands on my very warm face.
I banish Jellybean to her room with instructions to write 10 reasons why she should not take her brother outside without permission. An attitude and a door slam later, she produces her list. It includes such gems as:

• Because I am stupid (this is her new thing & it drives me crazy!!)
• Someone could take us.
• He could run down the hill and get hurt.
• Because I am not an adult. (She has an inflated ego that requires reminders that she is still a child and I am the parent).
• Because he could hurt Zeus (the dog)

Less than 2 hours later, she is sent to her room yet again. This time for punching her brother in the stomach after he tried to choke her, which was in response to her attitude when she threw his Fisher Price School Bus in from the back porch and hit him in the leg only moments before. She was told to produce 15 reasons why she is not to retaliate against her brother. This is what she came up with:

• Because he is my brother
• Because I am not an adult
• Because I am only his sister
• Because I will get my butt whooped
• Because I don't need to hit him
• Because I am dumb
• Because I am not nice
• Because I am aggressive
• Because I can't control myself
• Because it hurts him when I hit him
• Because I can't stop once I start
• Because I do it for no reason
• Because I do it regularly and he is going to get me back (lol, He does!)
• Because he is only 3
• Because I will get in trouble

What's the significance of this, you ask?

Do you realize only a year ago, making a list like this would have been IMPOSSIBLE for Jellybean?

It shows an ability to sympathize. It shows that her mind is clear enough to be able to think things through. It shows that she is learning personal responsibility. It also shows me that she is aware of her actions and sometimes she does them purposefully.

She has started directing her anger to her brother now, which is not a good thing at all.

He understands her emotions, not necessarily her words, and he is super sensitive to start with. If I raise my voice to him because he is not listening, he is instantly remorseful and starts crying. (did I mention he is super sensitive?). I think her attitude hurts him more than her words do.

"I hate you." She said to him. Her voice was dripping with venom. His face dipped down. His bottom lip came out.

His sister is his hero. He lives for the weekends when she is home. He lives for the moment she walks in the door from school.

Poor Scooby.

This is gonna be a LONG summer.

If you notice over there in my right sidebar, you see a pretty pink badge from My Child's Bipolar Now What? This is a group started by Amanda Lebron of the blog, Rage Against the Washing Machine, to offer a place for support, to ask questions, and just know you are not suffering alone. She dedicates Tuesdays to her daughter's dx. This week I am joining in. Feel free to share your stories.