Things Are Better

It's a wonderful, if disorienting feeling, to come out the other side of a long, dark tunnel. I feel like that's what's happening around here, even though I know it's not exactly the end of tunnels for us.

But we've at least temporarily solved a few of our stickiest problems. We've circumvented most of her bedtime frustration - and had good bedtimes six out of seven nights last week. Somehow she's done really well leaving playdates, without any major changes or ideas from me. I've even just this week implemented some extra tools to help her do better at school, and so far they seem to be working.

I've been reading some books which are helping enormously; one of them has my new mantra in it. Here goes: If our children could do better, they would. Which is not to say we should give up, just that when we give our children the tools to improve their behavior, they often do.

This one is helping, too.

Anyway, I just wanted to report that things are improving around here. Thanks to all of your for your kind words, support, and the time you took to tell me it was going to be okay, that you knew we could do it, that Maeve is a great kid, etc. It all helped enormously.

And this kid is just as wonderful as ever.