Thinking about you, Chris....hang on.<P>------------------<BR>Susan<P>

Well, yesterday I got home, made dinner, went to sleep on the couch at 6 PM & woke up at 630 AM today.<P>Took the oldest to a counselor this morning. I made the appt last week & she got mad at me. I mentioned it 3-4 times and she always was upset about it. Never talked to me in a nice voice. She asked me why she needed to go. After explaining it to her numerous times I used the line, "because I'm your Dad."<P>I spoke with the counselor last week & she is very nice & seems to really understand what to do. Today my daughter went in for about 30 minutes. After that she spoke with me. She said my daughter is pretty mad at Mom and she doesn't believe she will ever come back (who does at this stage?)<P>The counselor told me my daughter is not suicidal or anything (I didn't think she was) but she does need someone to talk to besides her friends. She gave her a card & told her to call her anytime if she wants to talk or ask some questions. Also, she told me to broach the sibject of seeing her again in a week or two. On the way home we had a pretty ggod talk about whatever. She does open up to me once in a while and we can share thoughts about anything (but she never brings up Mom).<P>------------------<BR>Prayers & God Bless!<BR>Chris<BR>For relationship info check out <A HREF="http://www.pcisys.net/~chriscal1/resources.html" TARGET=_blank>www.pcisys.net/~chriscal1/resources.html</A><p>[This message has been edited by Chris (CA123) (edited October 28, 1999).]

Hi Chris -<P>I am so glad that you got her there...this is a great first step for her in dealing with some things that she might not realize bother her.<P>I am also very glad to hear that you slept!!!!!! AH, a nice 12 Hour one, too!!!! You'll get back on some kind of schedule with the sleep soon!!!<P>Good luck with the costume!!! How did they like your cupcakes?<P>Talk to you later, Betsy Ross!!! LOL!!<P>HUGS,<P>Sheba<p>[This message has been edited by Sheba (edited October 29, 1999).]

Hi, Chris,<P>I laughed & cried reading this thread - your "30 brown rocks" cracked me up. God, I admire you, Chris. Glad you're feeling a little more upbeat. Or at least resigned!<P>You're doing such a great job holding things together for the girls. I wish I could do more than just periodically tell you I think you're amazing... but if it helps to know you've got many dozens of friends here pulling for you every day, we're here. You are really a brick, friend (& I *don't* mean "thick as a ..." LOL!).<P>Hey, BTW, we were (sort of) in your neck of the woods last week - my first time to CO (Dunc had a conference & I tagged along for a few days). We were in Keystone, north of Breckenridge. It was beautiful!<P>Hang in there, Chris. You're a peach. As someone here said, there is something very special for you. Karma! What comes around goes around! <P>Suse

How do you get a kid to see a counselor, when they are adamantly opposed to the idea? I'd give almost anything to get my oldest daughter (12) to see one but... She, too, hates her father and will only speak to him or spend time with him when she knows she can get something from him (you know, money, etc.). Yes, she knows all about his extracurricular activities. The psychologist that I take my son to (who know <I>everything</I>) says she is shouldering a lot of <I>my</I> anger and hate for him even though I'm still trying to figure that one out. Maybe she's making up for all those years I refused to let myself <I>be</I> angry? <P>And, as if anyone else needed an illustration of what this crap does to kids, the doctors decided last week that my son (age 11) has finally just "shut down" with depression and has had Wellbutrin added to his other medications. Call you imagine being only 11 years old and having to take stimulants, an antipsychotic, and an antidepressant every day, and seeing a psychologist?<P>Sometimes I just want to scream...

Sheba,<BR>They loved the cupcakes. Someone else brought some in also and they had candy to boot. Lotsa sugar for 3rd graders makes a busy day for teach!<P>Suse,<BR>Breckenridge is really nice. We used to ski there all the time in high school. Extremely cold up there especially the night skiing.<P>Bobbie,<BR>Grab ‘em by the ear & drag ‘em in to the counselor. Almost what I had to do. It’ll be as real pain getting her in again.<P>------------------<BR>Prayers & God Bless!<BR>Chris<BR>For relationship info check out <A HREF="http://www.pcisys.net/~chriscal1/resources.html" TARGET=_blank>www.pcisys.net/~chriscal1/resources.html</A>