Tag Archives: Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Being Mom in a New Moon Phase

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Moms go through phases just like the moon. Today I’m in a “new moon” phase, where everything is dark and I’m waiting for enlightenment, change, and the ability to somehow start over again. I’ve reached a point with my ten-year-old stepdaughter where I know I need help. I feel myself unraveling and I recognize that I’ve lost my equilibrium. Maybe I just need a break. Maybe I need a mini-vacation where I turn this child temporarily over to the total care and control of her father—just until I can get my bearings again. This morning there was another argument. She … Continue reading →

“You’re not my BOSS!” Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Our family was on vacation, and my nine-year-old stepdaughter was up to her usual antics. It started with teasing her brother. As he screamed, I called her out of the room and made her sit at the kitchen table next to me. She began to get very mouthy and rude. I then had her sit on a chair, away from the activity of the family, for twenty minutes. That’s when she began a tirade of dramatic remarks, namely that I hated her, the whole family hated her, and that she was “always punished for no reason.” She screamed, stomped her … Continue reading →