Long WAS Re: Question

[Guest guest]

,

I feel like I'm posting to you like crazy today!

Glad to hear the night ended on a brighter note, and this morning even

brighter! I'll let Kathy address the ERP process, she does it very

well. I liked her suggestions as well, what I was trying to get at

with the approach I used was that it worked for MY child, based on her

underlying personality (liking to be held). My younger child needs to

be left alone during a tantrum, and work it out herself, so you have

to go by what type of personality your daughter has. I did use

distractions ALOT as well (still do), nowadays she knows I'm doing it

but goes along with it just the same.

I meant to address your trip before (so much to write, so little

time!) -- I have a feeling you're going to be very surprised by how

well she does with her grandparents. At one point I was pleading for

both sets of grandparents to stop over for dinner, bedtime, etc.,

because she was such a defferent child around them! It gave me a

breather. I worried she might let loose after she realized they knew

about her OCD, but she still wanted to keep up appearances, I guess.

Having said that, three days is much longer than an hour or two. It

might be hard for her to hold it in that long, but if they do in fact

keep her busy (go to the park, watch movies, whatever) she should be

fine. Remember she could very well feed on your anxiety over this and

get more anxious herself, so try not to show it. She sounds like

she's confident and not stressed at all about it!

Is there a specific reason why you haven't told your in-laws about

everything? It may help if they know how you've been handling it just

in case something pops up. But if your gut tells you that's not a

good idea, then keep things " as is " .

You could call home frequently while you're gone so you're not

worrying non-stop on a trip that should be about recharging your

batteries. You deserve some down time. Hopefully after the first day

you'll get such glowing reports that you won't need to call as often

after that!

nna.

> Thanks Kathy.

>

> You know just like your daughter once she was done she was just

sitting on the couch playing like nothing EVER happened. So we talked

about it a little bit. She said the bossing back wasn't working and

she just couldn't let go of the thought. However, when she was in the

middle of she kept asking me for food. I think eating sooths her so

once I gave her a cracker she stopped. But I love all your ideas and

will try them all during her next " attack " .

>

> My in laws will be watching her in June for three nights. .... and I

keep telling her, " Alyssa, you can not do this when gram and gramp are

here....they will not understand " ...she said she will control it and

she said they keep her busy so she won't even think of it. I don't

know how that is going to work out. That is what I am really stressing

on. This trip was planned before the OCD hit and me and my husband

need it BADLY. But I am so WORRIED of leaving her. Thinking that it

may just put her over the edge and she may get worse with her trying

to control it so hard. At this point my in laws don't really know

about it. Anyhow.

>

> Can you tell me what ERP is exactly and how I can practice it with

her? My book should arrive today and I can read up...but just in case

it doesn't .... thanks

>

>

>

> oh....she had a wonderful morning this morning by the way....it

really does seem to be getting better.

oved]