How My Son's Temper Tantrum Saved My Otherwise Crappy Day

A while ago, I was having very rough day at work. Lots of things coming at once and I only had a limited understanding of how to handle them. I didn't have any time to do my 2+ mile "walk around the block" (I work at a place where they have a long trail going around campus).  To top it all off, my final task of the day blew up in my face, causing me to leave work late enough that, with traffic, I couldn't be sure I would be able to pick joe up from daycare on time. I had to all his mom and ask her to check him out for me with the promise that I would be along shortly to drive her home. 

Why did I go in for Cognitive Testing?

The question has arisen a couple of times this past week, why did I seem out the cognitive (IQ) testing?  I could give the official answer that it can reveal certain cognitive problems that can't but don't necessarily, come along with ADHD and the testing would better inform any ongoing treatment plan. This is certainly the justification from the testing doctors but my own motivation is different.

Cottleston Pie

Sometimes I sing in the car.  It's a nice way to pass the time on the way to work and I get to charge myself up before I get there without having to worry about other people hearing me.  Believe it or not, I'm a little self-conscious about my voice.  (Mike? Self-conscious? It can't be!) I know it's not as bad as I usually insist it is.  In the proper range, with the right sort of music, it's actually pretty good.

I've always been the sort of person who processes experiences and emotions more effectively through music.  Last week, during one of my sing-along commutes, I happened to come across a song that's always meant a great deal to me.  It always puts me in mind of a very good friend of mine who has had troubles in their life and, statistically, would seem likely to be in for a great deal more.  This song has always helped me cope with that situation and, usually, the worst result it a feeling of melancholy.  This day, the song was just completely overwhelming.  At first I couldn't sing without getting choked up and, eventually, I just had to turn the darn thing off.

Banned

Joe's always had trouble with impulsiveness.  I've always had problems not getting frustrated with it.  This has made it difficult, in the past, to turn these moments into productive teaching moments.

This last week has been much worse than usual.  He's been overly forgetful at home, painfully disorganized, and destructive.  Not deliberately destructive but he loses things that aren't his, things that he didn't have permission to touch.  He makes horrible messes for no discernible reason.  My bathroom sink resembles an abstract painting, colored entirely with toothpaste.

What's my IQ?

As some of my friends know, I have this kid thing living in my apartment.  He has ADHD and a couple of other related delays.  One of the things they do in assessing his progress is an intelligence test and he always scores surprisingly high in one specific area.


I am told that I was considered fairly bright when I was young but I wasn't made aware of it at the time.  My mom, I believe, felt it was better if I grew up feeling "normal" rather than weird or overly smart.  Of course, I ended up feeling weird anyhow.  I still am weird, I suppose.  But that's a different story.