March 5

Yesterday was L's appointment with the psychologist, and I'm left wondering, "what the hell did we have to pay $150 for that for?" It doesn't really seem fair. I mean, I know the woman has to get paid, and I'm sure she earns her exorbitant fees somehow, but all that happened was that she took a basic history (of course) and make L cry over our dead dog, thereby earning herself a black strike-through on his list of people he likes. She also told DH that he needed some kind of psych testing or evaluation, which is going to cost $300 and isn't until a month away.
Couldn't she at least have given us some sort of suggestions? Interim-type stuff?
This is my first experience dealing with any kind of therapy so I don't know what to expect. Of course, I didn't expect a miracle, and I did expect that this will take more than just a few visits, but I don't know, I was hoping for a little more. Even just something like, "I've seen this kind of thing many times before, it will all be alright, and I have a good idea of where we will go from here."
But no.
Maybe he's an anomaly to her. It doesn't give me much faith right now in the whole psychology profession. I hate that you almost have to shop around to find the right fit, the right person to help you. We can't afford to do that! It will be so frustrating to find out in 10 months that she wasn't the right one and that she isn't helping and we need to start over. Gah!
L didn't like her, apparently. I'm sure it is because she brought up Vader, and he doesn't like to be reminded of that.
On top of that yesterday, I had a note come home from the school "inviting" us to send L to an after school numeracy program. Basically, math help group.
Um, what? L has A's in math. So I was very confused. After emailing a friend (her son is L's BFF in his class) she said that B never got the note. Weird.
I had to ask L if he'd failed a math test that I didn't know about, but he said no. So I wrote a note and had the teacher call me.
I was actually kind of mad too. Beyond the confusion about what his mark may or may not be, I was angry that I've been telling these school people that L has all this anxiety about school and schoolwork, and then we get something asking him to be a part of an after school group that would make him be in school an extra three hours per week??!! It's like they're not even listening.
So I did talk to the teacher today, and she said that she thought that even though his mark was fine, he might benefit from being there in the social situation with his friends, that he might enjoy it because it is something he is good at.
OOOOKKKAAAAYYY........
I get (sort of) what she is trying to say: that he would like it because he'd be so much better at it than everyone else (I think), and some of his friends would be there.
Ok, so here is why that is SOOO not right!

1. He hates doing stuff he already knows, it's "BOOOORRRINNNGGG!!"
2. He hates homework. Especially math and spelling homework. Doing extra work is NOT going to go over well, no matter what subject it is really.
3. Friends might be there, but that doesn't make it a social situation! They're there to learn! To get extra help. I hardly think the teacher in charge would appreciate socialization!
4. He has HUGE anxiety about school people!! Therefore, my life would be HELL if I had to hear every Monday and Wednesday night all about how much he hates his life because the next day was math-help-day and he had to be at school until 5. 

Good to know though, that he is doing fine in math at least.
Our reward/incentive/puzzle piece thing has come to an end. L has earned all his pieces now, so tonight I get to take him out to Home Hardware to choose out a hammer, gloves and goggles. Yay, lol.
We will have to choose something else, with stricter parameters I think, because for what it's worth, it is helping.
Things generally have been somewhat better. I have some theories why:

• It's March now, gloomy February is over, and I can't deny that that is something that affects a lot of people. 
• He has had a full week+ of the St. John's Wort, perhaps it is helping?
• There haven't been any projects or much homework coming home (I KNOW this is a huge part of it!)
• He is healthy, and we've also got back on track with vitamins too.

He is signed up now for the cooking course, thanks to my dad, and he is looking forward to it.