Real life situations

I've been going through parenting forums online to get a different perspective on the story I'm developing. Here are a few excerpts that I thought were very relevant and quite interesting.

“We may have found out what was wrong we had been driven to our limit last weekend so he was sent to his room we had a talk about what was going on with him but it went in one ear and out the other so finally i said to him he was grounded to his room i gave him some paper and a pencil and told him that he couldn't come out until he wrote down on paper what was going on what has changed in his life for him to behave this way after two days (sunday afternoon and monday after school) he came out crying with something written on paper he thought he was going to get in trouble for saying it but this is what bothered him he wrote "My Mummy doesn't love me anymore she only loves Maia" (Maia is our daughter) it nearly killed my wife to hear it so we talked about it. What has happened is my wife was home all the time at the end of her preg and for the first 5 months of my daughters life but then she went back to work, My wife is in senior management at a resort running all banquets and conferences so is required at work for up to 60 hours a week she is exhausted when she gets home so likes to sit and rest my son is use to her being home after school and on weekends so is having difficulty understanding why she is not home and when she is why she always shows our daughter more attention and not him (she likes to feed, change and play with our daughter because she is having a bit of a hard time adjusting her self but always involves our son) he is missing the time they use to spend together.”
bobshell - raisingchildren.net.au

“We have three boys. The two eldest are 13 months apart at 7 & 8 yo. The eldest has just had a birthday and preceeding this he has started to enjoy his own company more and more. With the arrival of some new toys and cub scout activities he is becoming more comfortable by himself. These two boys have been very close for their whole lives and have been through family break up and moving interstate together. To say that they are close is an understatement. The 7 yo is showing signs of unrest since the 8 yo's new found independence. He can't entertain himself and needs a lot more adult attention than usual. While we do our best to give him a little more attention he needs to learn to play by himself as we have a 3 yo and a business to entertain as well. He doesn't know how to play by himself and just mopes around.”
burtbunch - raisingchildren.net.au

“My son as developmental verbal dyspraxia. He has been having speech therapy for around 3 and half years. we didnt start getting any words from him until christmas 2005 (he was 4 and half). He's speech is coming along slowly but is getting better all the time. He is in presshool this year and he has an assistant with him to help in the classroom maybe you could speak to your school about seeing if your son would be eligible for one. Also when he wasn't talk we used a basic sign language called MAKTON you should ask your speech pathlogist if this would help him. it help us it relieves the frustation they and you feel when the can't get across what they want. Remember there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hope all go's well.”
mum3939 - raisingchildren.net.au

“My son is 3 and has been having speech therapy for about 5 months, he is on the list to see a paed and occupation health. He has a few words that he uses but 2 word sentences are his limit. He has 2 older brothers and I was aware at 8 months he wasnt making the same babbles that the others did. He goes to daycare twice a week when I'm at work and have made them aware of the problem, they are usually happy to help by reinforcing whatever is being done at home or therapy. We have been told that he may have to go to a speech kindy, I hope that he does so he can get help and hopefully fit into mainstream school when he is ready, he would be starting kindy this time next year and I would hate to think of him struggling to communicate with other kids.”
Diddlie - raisingchildren.net.au