Thursday, March 12, 2009

Dumb & Dumber

HI!
Hello, did you call me? yep, that's me...dumb and getting dumber by the minute.
Last night the phone rang....at 11:00pm
YOU know where this is going, don't you?
Why does noone do crazy things between the hours of 9-5?
Soooooo.......
She's just shy of 3 yrs old. Twice as big as The Boy. Can't talk, isn't potty trained, climbs out of a crib, wont stay in a bed. Will NOT listen when you try to talk to her. She jerks away and runs off. Has the attention span of a gnat. Throws whatever she has in her hand in the floor. Starting calling us mommy & daddy before the S.W left last night/this morning. Supposedly never been in care before but acts like any RAD kid I've seen that's been in care for years.
Today while out trying to get her some clothes & shoes (she came with neither) we were in a consignment shop that knows me well. They were having their lunch on the counter and she just reaches up and takes what she wants! I almost died. I quickly explained to her we don't touch other people's food and that was rude. She skipped off to wreck havoc elsewhere. We were at Sam's Club buying diapers for her when she was just saying mommy, mommy over and over. (I had stopped correcting her & telling her to call me D) I said "yes little girl, what do you want? She reached over and kissed my cheek?? We are complete strangers to her. Alot of RAD behavior is pretty clear but I'm not sure how to deal with it. Since we usually deal with babies I'm not up on behavior motification or how I should react to some of what she does.
Any ideas?

**I've told her about a million times we are not mommy & daddy and to call us by our names. It's as though I've not said a word to her**

5 comments:

Momto5 RachelJoy Photography said...

oh my! poor lil thing. I hope she learns a few things real quick for yah! best of luck and "love" Im sure your home is the best possible place for her right now. how does she sleep? i mean once she finally stayed in bed....

Perri said...

I wouldn't answer to mom. Make her call you D. She sounds like MORE than a handful.

Sounds RAD to me.

LindaJean said...

Boy that is RAD for sure. Any idea how long she will be with you? I have no idea what to do if you are on the "schmoozed" end of RAD... I went to the "I hate you and love total stangers" place very quickly after placement. I have always told others not to let her schmooze them, make her keep her distance (no kissing, clinging, etc), but that was when I was trying to foster attachment to her new mommy and daddy (us). I will certainly pray for you and for your little RADish.

Kellie with an "ie" said...

Lordy Mercy! It's official - you've got your hands full. You know I have no experience with RAD, so I have no advice, but I'm wishing you well and hoping she settles down for you immediately if not sooner.

Torina said...

Now, how much of that is attributed to her age and lack of teaching of appropriate boundaries? See, I have ZERO experience with little kids. When I got Tara at age 11, she was EXACTLY like that...right down to sitting with strangers at restaurants and eating their food. And you read my blog...hang on tight if it is RAD. I have never even blogged about the first few years when it was really bad. Read the post on the right hand side about Worker Bootcamp if you haven't already. That will give you a taste of what is to come...