I got the phone call...the bad call....from the camp.
My son is in sleepaway camp, he's twelve. Last year he did ok, we did get a call but in the end, he had fun and really wanted to go back. I toyed with the idea of a special needs camp but he did really well in school this year, with almost no support. So I sent him back to this camp.
Now, let me explain...at this camp they let the kids to have gameboys etc. in the bunks during rest time. Now my son can get obscessed with his gameboy so I only let him take his older games that he's not that crazy about. And it was fine.
Now the problem...they were supposed to go on a field trip but it rained so they took the kids to the mall to buy something and walla...they let him my a NEW game and so guess what, he got obscessed with it and I think they let him sleep with it, so he's not been getting much sleep and then he had a major meltdown over it. So he wouldn't calm down so they called me and he wants to go home etc.... I want to THROW UP!!!!!! I thought I was doing the right thing...now I tried to talk him down and tell him if I get another call I'm taking all his electronics away at home. And I told his councelor to use the gameboy only as a reward. But I'm so mad...and they let him get a new game!!!! Before that all was well!!!!!! I'm so sick right now, I'm kicking myself not to have sent him to a special needs camp. I am so worried he'll be asked to come home and it will be such a failure of a summer, for him, for me, for his self esteem. I just took a sleeping pill cause I don't know how I'd sleep tonight without it.
I'm curious. My son is also overly obsessed with videogames and the extent of it is beyond normal, at least with my boy. What kind of behaviors had your son in Spec. Ed? Does he have other obsesssions? How are his social skills? Does he have friends or know how to talk to other peers? Does he wander off alone to play his games? WHen I let my son have his GB, I know he's going to get obsessed with it, although your son actually sounds more obsessed than mine. Did your son have any late talking or delays? Any psychiatric stuff going on in the family?
I'd call in the mornings and in the evenings to see how things are going. Maybe it will go fine! If it doesn't, maybe you could talk to the counselors and let them know that if he is asked to leave camp, you DON'T WANT HIM TOLD. Make it his choice, then just act like it was not big deal, too bad that camp didn't work out for you this year dear... it's just a camp, who cares.
Don't be depressed!! This was just a fluke. An unfortunate series of events. They had no way of knowing. I would have sent him back to the camp. That kind of thing builds self-esteem.
[QUOTE=MomWI]I'm curious. My son is also overly obsessed with videogames and the extent of it is beyond normal, at least with my boy. What kind of behaviors had your son in Spec. Ed? Does he have other obsesssions? How are his social skills? Does he have friends or know how to talk to other peers? Does he wander off alone to play his games? WHen I let my son have his GB, I know he's going to get obsessed with it, although your son actually sounds more obsessed than mine. Did your son have any late talking or delays? Any psychiatric stuff going on in the family?[/QUOTE]
How old is your son? Mine is twelve. He's got the focus problems, and he gets easily frustrated when he doesn't get something right away. But he loves video games and when he gets a new one, he plays and plays until he gets to the high level he wants to get to. These games unfortuately were designed to be addictive. He has a few friends who play video games with him and also Yugio but he also enjoys other things like chess, board games, and fun games like dodgeball, etc.
He has an IEP but is in regualar school without an aide or anything and he gets straight A's. He very well may have some asp symptoms but he really wants to make friends.
Anyhow, I'm so sick today over this.
My son is going to be 13 next month. Since your son is also very bright and wants to make friends, and I'm assuming he has trouble doing it, he could be a very functional adult if he has ASD/Aspergers. You may want to take him to a NeuroPsych. If he gets the dx. then he can get services such as social skills that will help him text book learn how to socialize, which is how these kids learn. You sound like you have a really neat kid there who has a lot of potential.
I wish they'd never invented videogames!