Comments on: Parenting Kids Who Sabotage the Holidays

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 02:04:03 +0000

Very helpful article. I have a daughter who spent her first 4 years in an Eastern European orphanage.
Excellent resource to share to help family and friends understand what she and the family goes thru.
Thank you

By: Sharla Kostelyk

Sharla Kostelyk — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 23:58:21 +0000

In reply to Shelly. Hi Shelly, so sorry that you're going through such a hard time. Has he been seen by a therapist who specializes in attachment and early childhood trauma? That is all that I can really suggest. And for your own PTSD, have you looked into EMDR? I found it very helpful and the research on it relating to PTSD is very hopeful. Sending virtual hugs your way. It is not easy.

By: Lindy Robertson

Lindy Robertson — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 09:09:32 +0000

Speaking as a retired family therapist, I think this article is exceptionally well-written, well-researched (clearly), and enlightening for empowering for parents.

By: Shelly

Shelly — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 23:01:48 +0000

What if they’re 19 and still like this? I’m step mom but raised him on a daily basis while the other was when it was “convenient” biological one who birthed him. Not a real mom. I can’t take it anymore! He was diagnosed with ADHD at 7 but diagnosed as bipolar, like his biological, at 17. He ruins everything, rude, unappreciative, lies, malicious, cuts stuff, and I can go on. I can’t have my own kids and I’ve done everything to take care of him, took him to therapy, he’s on meds, held him accountable and disciplineed, and our local mental facility is a joke. He’s now at Job Core, a govt funded trade school, but continues this childish and drab IOU’s behavior and I’m physically sick and have PTSD from walking on egg shells with him. I don’t even want him to visit. I don’t know if he’ll ever mature and get it. It’s such a horrible mix of his bio abandoning him as a baby and has tried to buy him since instead of being a healthy mother. Add that to his mental state. There’s some severe events that have happened. He treats me the worst, and is very cold hearted now and fakes the rest. My heart aches.

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 12:13:32 +0000

Awesome post! I’m finally getting my act together enough to try to prevent some of the holiday meltdowns of the past. We’re doing medium well at it, and I’m counting that as a tremendous success! Thanks for your good advice!