14 Oct 2006 08:51 AM

Dealing with Dysfunctional Behavior

All three of the boys have behavioral problems due to their past environments. All have been influenced by drug addicted parents and their lifestyles. Not only do they live with physical problems i.e. ADHD, dyslexia, learning disabilities, AFS, encopresis and enuresis, they bring psychological baggage with them. With medication, therapy and a lot of hard work at home, we are learning to deal with these problems. Each child copes with his past circumstances in a different way. Our youngest tends to be extremely selfish with his belongings. He is very greedy at the dinner table. This behavior is due to losing his clothes, toys and keepsakes so many times whether it was lost, pawned or stolen. He talks occasionally about being hungry and which churches in the area gave the best food donations. Understanding the reasons for his behavior helps us to cope with it. We have made designated places available for him to store his personal belongings and special containers he can call his own for whatever he chooses to store in them. When he first came to live with us, he liked to sleep with some of his clean and folded clothing in the corner of his bed. I did not discourage this, he made his own comfort zone; he desperately needed it. After 2 years, our little one is secure enough to put his clothing on hangers and in drawers.  He knows his toys are going to be there when he wakes up or comes home from school. He expects breakfast, lunch and dinner. He is comfortable with the fact that it is his right to expect it. He still has problems with overloading his plate; we are working on that. It all takes time and patience. Something we have plenty of.

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