Square Peg in the Round Hole

So we went back to the doctor yesterday to do some follow up with Michael and his A.D.D. On our last appointment, he sort of refused to talk to the doctor - whether this was on purpose or not, we don't know. On the ride over, I asked Michael what his main problem was in the classroom/at school. I asked if it was the way his teacher ran the room (like did she rush them) or was it the work. He tells me that his main problem is that he does not like to be timed. Well, pretty much that is what school is all about, being timed. You do math from this time to that time, then you move on to reading and read from this time to that time. I mean, pretty much, that would mean that he has a problem with everything about school. So we arrive at the appointment and what do they tell us?

"We're going to do a series of timed tests on the computer today."

Well, you might as well have said "Hey, you're going to walk through a field of land mines. Good luck!" The boy was not happy. But it was presented in a way that there were no right or wrong answers and that it was okay to just take his time. All lies. There were like 12 different tests and they were all timed. You had things like here are 15 words - they will show up on the screen one at a time every two seconds. Memorize them and then we'll show you a much longer list and you have to pick out your words from the previous list. Twenty five minutes later, the boy had a meltdown and started to cry because it seemed as if this test was never going to end and the assignments were getting a bit confusing. I had to have a nurse come over and calm him down because I could not.

Long story short, the boy was above average in most of the categories. Needless to say, we were both pretty darn psyched about it. So we wait for the doctor to call us in and when he did he asked Michael how he did on the test, Michael said proudly "I did above average!" and you know what this guy says?
"Well, there really is no above average on this test."

Mothers, I think you can all agree that your first instinct is to smack this guys face. I resisted the urge, believe me.

Anyway, the thing is, right there in black and white on the report it SAID that he did ABOVE AVERAGE so if there is no above average on this test, then why is it written there? Why even have that as an option? Honestly, I think we took the wind out of his A.D.D. sails. I think that this guy is so full of himself and writing another book on A.D.D. that he doesn't want to see success or see that a kid may actually NOT have it! We do have him on a low dose of medicine because he does have trouble focusing on things and has often said to us that his brain is going to fast. I'm okay with this. I've made my peace with it. The doctor asked us how he is doing in school. I told him that we are tracked out right now (because we are in year-round school, this is his 3 week break). Then he asked Michael if the medicine had helped int he classroom. Again, Michael told him that he is tracked out and has not been in school. Then Dr. Not-Listening-to-what-I'm-Saying asked if the teacher had noticed a difference.

???

Everyone together now "We're tracked out and have not been in school since we started the medicine!" I don't know how many times I'm supposed to state this fact before he grasps it. Most of the schools in this area are year-round so I am sure he is familiar with the concept of tracking out. Why he was choosing to play dumb now, I don't know. Well, not play dumb but to just not HEAR us.

Well, HE may have chosen to not be impressed with my son's success but I sure as heck was! We have some work ahead of us to get him over his timed test anxiety but I think he's a pretty awesome kid. He doesn't fit the "norm" that this doctor is looking for for his research, I guess, but that's okay with me!

Oh, and on a side note, there was not hair fondling today. So all in all, a good appointment!