Be Prepared

In our house, it's a good idea to anticipate how things are going to turn out with FrogBoy and have a reaction prepared in advance. It cuts down on a lot of parental stress.

We don't give FrogBoy a lot of notice when something new is going to happen. That sounds contradictory, but if we tell him he's going to the dentist on Friday, and it happens to be Monday, then every day, many, many times a day, we'll hear, "Am I going to the dentist today? Is it Friday yet?? I love the dentist." So we just don't tell him. It saves the constant questions, and then if something changes and the appointment gets moved, he's not upset.

Another thing we have to prepare for at all times is ways to alleviate boredom. This is fun, because Froggie can get bored during the 3-minute drive from our house to school. That would be why my van is full of books to read, puzzle books to puzzle in, and even a handheld game or two. It's why I carry colored pencils in my purse. We need to keep the kid occupied.

We also try, like most parents, to anticipate arguments between him and Spanky and put the kibosh on those before they start. That can be difficult, considering FrogBoy will say things like, "You're in love with Daddy's car." How do you respond to that?

However, I know that every week we must stop for apples or carrots for the horse at therapy (because we did it once), and every week when we do he's going to ask me if he can get a treat too (which he does). Once you realize what direction things are going, it's much easier to go with the flow.