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Ashamed. Me to blame, for ds1(7) saying " raising children is a struggle. "

17 replies

Oblomov · 13/03/2011 16:24

Ds1(7) has been discussing life, relationships etc at school, and he announces he doesn't want to get married, have children , wants to live alone.
When I asked him, he said that having children was a real struggle, and obviously this comes straight from me.

Anyway ds1 doesn't have much confidence. and I am very saddened that he has picked up on the 'struggling'.

I am just going to cut and paste one of my previous OP;s, to fill you in :

"I saw the Pyschaitrist yesterday. Diabetic specialist pyschiatrist. They are concerned at how bad my diabetes is. And it is so bad when I am stressed.
They are going to do loads of things medically and otherwise. have monitor inserted. have another one to look at chemicals released when stressed and what happens to my blood sugars. going be a gineau pig on their research project.
We agreed there is no anxiety of panic attacks. She said I wasn't depressed. One GP had insisted I had AD's but they hadn't worked, so we talked about that.
She also suggested CBT. But what I know about it, I fail to see how this is really going to help me.
But I my mum , dh, and best friend think I have coped well under considerable stress.
So I gave her an example. Following all happened at the same time:
My dh made redundant and we couldn't pay the mortgage. dh had what we thought was a stroke , but turned out to be Bells Palsy, where his face dropped for 6 weeks. Ds1 was being naughty at school, for first time. Losing minues and I wasn't told. Then 3 boys bullied him trying flush head down toilet, saying that they would make him lose more minutes. School dismissive. He was in the middle of being assessed for Aspergers, and I have found his behaviour very stresful and couldn't understand what was wrong, for the last 4-5 years. Ds2 was going through terrible 2's. manageable. normal. My job that i adore, after 5 years of good appraisals suddenly said I wasn't up to he job and asked me to leave offering me a crummy compromise agreemment.
In and amongst all of this my diabetes went mad. I was having on average 2 hypos a day. Instead of my blood sugars being the desired 4-7, I was often 2.4 and physically couldn't speak. Sometimes my bloods were 33.2, so high that I felt ill and was physically sick at work. I would shout at the boys, and then some of the time, I would actually realise that I was low/diabetically hypo.
So she says that it takes 24 hours to recover froma hypo. And i said I never got that chance, because I was hypo again the next day.
So she says that this is what she specilaises in, assessing how it affects someone.
BUT then she goes on to say, that I am highly strung, that it sounds like ds1 is not that bad, quite normal, rather than Aspergers. I thought this was very dismissive. She had only asked one question about him.
And that i need to look at how to cope.

But I haven't always struggled. Only in the last couple of years. I have great inner confidence. I think cope jolly well considering. But i do need help, becasue I am struggling.
I felt like saying that I'd like to see others cope better.
But I so want to be open minded about it.
But I just can't see what CBT is going to do for me. Am I being too negative ? "

that was one of my previous OP's.

Since then, dh has got a new job and has been working 18 hr days, 6 dyas a week, for the last 2 months. He won't be paid for this, is just 'expected'. I have felt like a single parent !! He used to be home at 5pm.
My diabetes is not getting any better, but we keep working at it. Ds1 is a bit easier. Still hard work and mouthy, but I think its probably just me accepting he is a bit AS, that has changed MY perspective on him.

I have shouted at him many times over the years. Told them that I was struggling/ had enough of them. I did KNOW I shouldn't say those things, becasue it makes me weak and puts pressure on a child, that shouldn't be put on him. But I couldn't stop myself.

Dh says I need to show more self control, not to express things infront of him. I know I need to do this.

What else do you think I should be doing ?

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 13/03/2011 16:32

I think you ought to give yourself a break.
You seem to be juggling impossible numbers of issues, and having some fairly thick comments from professional Diabetes people who no little about ASDs but still think they can comment with authority. And being unexpectedly kicked in the teeth by your boss.
Yet you are still functioning, still carrying the load and plodding on.
So give yourself a break and stop thinking you've done something wrong. Parenting is hard enough without all the add ons you've got.

My DS wants to never marry and live with a cat 'because a wife would spend all my money'
He's never seen me spend any cash that wasn't earned by me, so I haven't a clue where he got that idea from.

Oblomov · 13/03/2011 16:49

Goblin, you are right. But I am not a prefectionist.
I think I am worried by this, because I do struggle, and find this all miserable. I am often miserable. I don't enjoy having 2 children. Sometimes I do, but mostly I find them hard work and draining.
And it has saddened me to see the evidence, of my struggle, parenting him. = a child who has little confidence and thinks it is a struggle.
I mean thats not good really.

OP posts:
Oblomov · 13/03/2011 17:02

Besides, people have it alot worse than me, don't they ? But they just pull their socks up and get on with it.

OP posts:
Lougle · 13/03/2011 17:03

Do you know what, Oblomov, I don't have the energy to be gentle and kind, because I am ill myself. But I will say this:

You are chronically ill. You don't have patience with your children because you are literally just getting through the days, and you aren't even managing that, if you are having hypos daily.

I have chronic migraines at the moment. I am either in a migraine, or in a post-migraine haze most days, with 3 under 6, and DD1 has SN.

Do I feel good? NO. Do I feel like a crap mother? YES. Is there ANYTHING I can do about it? Well, to be honest, in my saner moments, I think it's a flying miracle that the children actually get to school/pre-school with clean clothes, hair brushed and food in their tummies. On Wednesday I ended up in A&E with Medics flying into the room because a doctor called 'Code 222' on me; my migraine had sent me into collapse & she thought I had either a sub-arrachnoid haemorrhage or cardiac arrest.

When we are growing up, we have a fantasy image of parenthood. We think that we are going to be the best parent in the world, and that everyone who struggles just isn't trying hard enough. But the fact is, that no-one WANTS to struggle with parenting. No-one WANTS to feel that they have let their child down.

Tell you a secret. My not quite 2 year old likes to list where everyone is. Last week, just before bed, she said 'Daddy at work, DD2 at pre-school, DD1 at School...Mummy at doctors...' It broke my heart when DH told me. Imagine that, a not even 2 year old who knows that Mummy is always poorly.

If the worst thing for your diabetes is stress, then you aren't doing yourself any favours by stressing over the very thing that you can't control. So, do your Son a favour - don't stress over this, then it is one less thing that can send you into a Hypo Smile

()

Thecarrotcake · 13/03/2011 17:13

I would say try and give yourself a break.. You are still doing what's needed and maybe you need to see this as a good thing :)

my ds doesn't want to get married either, but his thought are that other people are a bother and you can't work them out, so why live with them all your life.

Oblomov · 13/03/2011 17:48

Thank you Lougle. For your lovely post. And a big hug to you too. You speak sense. I know that.

And cake too. thank you.

I will try and give myself a break and try to improve my 'miserableness'. I do know thta I do a jolly good job in testing circumstances. I do know this.

OP posts:
ArthurPewty · 13/03/2011 20:57

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Oblomov · 13/03/2011 21:29

Thank you Leonie. How you doing ?

OP posts:
Chundle · 14/03/2011 11:58

Oblo i think you should give yourself a break also. I have epilepsy and stress with my kids makes my seizures worse - however i have very understanding neurologist who knows my kids are hard work! my DD1 says she isnt having kids when she is older because then she will get wobbly legs like mummy :P and that she will struggle to pay the bills!!! She mustve heard a conversation at some point too!! Kids hear and absorb and repeat evrything I wouldnt read too much into it. Chin up and keep up good work of being a good mummy, x

ouryve · 14/03/2011 12:13

You really should give yourself a break. You have more than your fair share to deal with.

And besides, most 7 year old boys eschew all activities girl related. Hopefully, he'll keep hold of his opinions about girls and kids until he's much, much older!

auntevil · 14/03/2011 14:26

Oblomov - it could get worse, my DS never wants to get married - but neither does he want to leave home, he wants to live with me forever Grin
Lougie's right - there are some days when we all feel that it was a miracle that the kids got to school, dressed, fed and relatively clean!
I blame all this 'yummy mummy' malarkey - setting an ideal that just doesn't exist. Nobody can do it all - unless they have a support system and a half - in which case, they're not doing it on their own.
My brother used to have a sign on his desk saying ' maybe i'm not an under-achiever, maybe you're an over-expector.' As you said, you cope jolly well - don't let the negativity of 'over-expectors' get to you.

Oblomov · 14/03/2011 21:31

Thank you for your nice posts. You are all right. I will try and let it go. And just keep on going.

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mariamagdalena · 14/03/2011 21:49

Oblomov, I think you should tell your cbt therapist what you've told us. And maybe get her to read something about how hard it is to raise a kids with AS. Maybe this thread Wink. And then she can see that just having kept going proves what a good job you're doing.

CBT does have some potential for reducing subjective stress even in difficult circumstances. quick read. Or there's another school of thought called logotherapy which might be useful to discuss with her. Viktor Frankl. Hope the sugars stabilise soon.

nadra · 14/03/2011 22:05

Hiya, I also have diabetes, a 'poss' sn daughter of 2, an active dd of 5 and a step- teenager of 16! I have had panic attacks and depressive episodes but have had counselling and have good meds. My insulin allows me to survive, my anti-depressants allow me to LIVE! However my diabetes is also all over the place and, 'cause I have missed a couple of appointments, they are taking my insulin pump OFF ME!!!! (GP is fighting it but have to go back on injections in the meantime :-( )
Anyway, what I am trying to say is, I know where you are coming from - right down to putting your own spin on what is said to you! CBT should help with that - now I realise that everything my mum says to me is probably NOT her having a go at me!!!!
Hold on in there, see your doctor and get some meds to tide you over, or get them altered if you are already on them, give yourself a big hug and try to find a diabetes nurse or doctor who will work with you. I would say the first thing to do is get rid of the hypos 'cause I bet the 33's are bounces after them aren't they?

Take care, Charlotte xx

Oblomov · 15/03/2011 13:21

Sorry to hera of pump being removed Nadra. Hospitals are buggers aren't they. They took mine off me the moment I gave birth to ds1, becasue it was only lent to me, from the hospital. I had to fight for 4 months to get funding for my own pump. Now I am trying to get funding for a new VEO pump. hope they hurry up.

Do you think I am in denial about being depressed, becasue all the doctors and gp's I see tell me thta I am not depressed. I did try AD's once, when i was really struggling after ds2's birth. But they had no effect. And then my new Gp said she wasn't surprised, becasue she didn't think i was depressed.
so I can't see how AD's would help me now.

the 33's are about 8am. apparently due to mey HUGE dawn phenomenen needs. By the time I get to work at 8 am I am 33.

I will ring the pump specialist nurse again today. promise !!

OP posts:
Oblomov · 15/03/2011 13:22

Maria, I am looking into your links. Thank you so much.

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ArthurPewty · 16/03/2011 14:03

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