We had our first family team meeting this afternoon. I was impressed with everything that was discussed, decided, and implemented.

We need to develop safety plans for our home when the boys are acting out. Each person needs a role in the plans. For example…what does Younger Boy do if Older Boy is acting out and vice versa?

A chart of consequences will be created and hung in a prominent place in our home. The consequences will be created with input from all three of us. I think this is really going to help us out because then there will be no question what will happen if you have certain behaviors.

We will pursue a CTA coming to our home to work with Older Boy on behavior management. It was unanimous that this would be of great help to us. In addition to this Therapist is going to give us a referral to a psychiatrist. Family therapy is going to move to a clinical setting so the boys know that we mean business and aren't so comfortable.

The boys need to spend more “alone time” and do separate activities. This isn't that easy to do in a single parent home, but we are going to utilize the mentors to help with this.

Older Boy will attend summer school. He is NOT going to be happy. He has already stated his case to me on more than one occasion that it is completely unnecessary.

Older Boy will be pushed with higher expectations at daycare. They are going to lower their tolerance level for the “playful” disobedience and work with him on proper respect. If this transition goes well he will move to the higher functioning classroom in the fall.

I agreed to use more respite time. Everyone on the team is concerned that I don't have enough breaks from the boys and that I am going to get burned out. I have such mixed feelings about this. I have to figure out a way that this is going to work for them AND me.

I was THRILLED with the meeting!!