Big Changes

Big changes have happened since I last wrote. We've headed back to school. Hannah got ANOTHER office referral at school. We finally got our evaluation date scheduled for the severe behavior clinic. We got Hannah's newest set of diagnoses (ADHD and Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Aspergers is still waiting to be ruled out or in by the severe behavior clinic) We started a new behavior plan with the help of the current psychologist. Our foster care license finally cleared AND we got our first placement! That's A LOT to happen in 2 1/2 weeks!

Now that we've actually begun accepting foster care placements I can't really talk about our lives with those kids and how that relates to Hannah and our lives on this blog anymore since it's totally not private. I'm going to continue to write on here about day to day stuff and Hannah, but I will also start up an anonymous blog where I can chronicle our foster care journey. If you are at all interested in reading that blog please leave me your email address in a comment and I'll email you the address to the new blog since I don't want to post it on this blog and have the two connected and the wrong people find out who we are in the new blog.

Ok, back to Hannah. Hannah's new behavior plan is interesting. It's too soon now to tell if will do any good, but one thing is certain. . . . she DOES NOT like it. It is essentially a psuedo grounding of all privileges where a chore is given as a consequence that has to be completed before the grounding is lifted. Basically she chooses how long the grounding lasts by how quickly she decides to get the chore done. There's also a positive reinforcement piece to it as well where she earns small rewards (special time with mom or dad, tv time, computer time, etc) randomly for being obedient. Along with this new system (which the psych calls the Job Card System), we were also taught a safe hold to use when she becomes aggressive which has been happening more and more lately and had become increasingly difficult to manage because she is getting so big and so strong. I don't like the thought of having to use restraint in any form, but I have to admit the few times I've had to use it everyone has been a lot safer. We'll keep everyone posted as things continue along. I'm sure things will get even more rocky before they get smoother especially considering the big changes that have happened in the house.

Photo Notes: These pictures were from a Daddy-Daughter project that Kyle and Hannah are working on for her room. It's still not finished yet, but hopefully soon it'll be done and up on the wall. I'll be sure to post a picture of the finished product when they get it done.