Breakdown Anyone?

I am trying really hard to not jump on the break down bandwagon around here.. but they are pushing me towards it quickly..

Chella has seemingly lost her mind.. Lately she has been in a bit of a mood.. I don't know if it is moving, new school, being away from her boyfriend or just that time of month all month.. but it seems like everytime I turn around her and I are at it about something or another perhaps it is just plain old teenage angst... who the hell knows..

Kyle is the one that is making me the craziest though.. He has always been a great student.. he gets good grades and is usually somewhat of a teacher's pet.. ever since we moved here he has had one complaint after another.. I took him to the doctor.. she gave him meds for his stomach.. and last week after that he seemed to be fine.. This morning I got him up... he got dressed and made himself breakfast like he always does.. I got dressed and came down stairs.. he and I headed out to the porch to wait for the bus as usual.. he walked to the bus stop..and the next thing I know he is running back home crying his little eyes out.. I tried to ask him what was wrong.. he didn't seem to know.. I asked him if something scared him.. It is still dark when he goes to the bus stop so who knows.. he said nothing had.. I asked him if someone is picking on him at school.. again.. he said no.. he just kept crying and eventually cried himself to sleep.. I don't know what to do at this point.. I have contacted the counselor at his school and she and I are formulating a schedule for him to talk with her.. I hate keeping him home from school with this but I don't really see how he can learn anything while crying all day.. Kyle is a bit immature in that he is the baby of the family and has been treated as such.. but he has never acted like this.. I am worried about what is causing this.. as well as what impact this is having on his schooling.. I don't want him to fall behind because of missing school and wind up failing the 5th grade.. he is too smart for that..

I have some theories about this situation.. but nothing based in fact that might offer a clue as to his behavior.. the only place he seems to want to be is at home with me.. One theory of mine is this.. the last major move in his life was when I was still with my Ex and we moved up to KY from FL.. Kyle was 6 at the time.. a few months after we moved my ex and I split up and it pretty much turned the kids lives upside down for a while.. perhaps he is afraid that something like that will happen again.. Ron and I have talked about this.. and while there are no signs or signals that would trigger Kyle to think Ron and I are having problems (we aren't) there weren't any with my Ex either.. we shielded the younger kids from a lot of what was going on.. especially Kyle.. to him .. Ronnie and I were just mom and dad and things were fine.. and then to him I am sure.. out of the blue daddy is moving out of the house and things were changing way too fast for a 6 yr old to keep up with..

Ron and I have given the kids a secure home.. and we show them just by being us that we are committed to each other and love each other totally.. but who the heck knows what a 10 yr old is thinking..

Ron has his theory too.. that kyle is just going through something and is using this as a reason to stay home and that if he is allowed to stay home he shouldn't have the priviledges of TV, playstation and all the fun stuff he usually does at home.. I do agree that if Kyle can't seem to go to school.. then he shouldn't get rewarded for staying home.. I don't agree that this is a ploy..It is always such a difficult thing to decide whether to be strict and force an issue or to be soft and mushy about it.. I don't want him to miss school.. I don't want him to fall behind.. I don't want to push him and I don't want to not push him.. what are ya supposed to do in a situation like this.. ya know.. even the dang toaster came with an instruction guide.. do you think we could come up for one for kids?

Well I think it is time for me to get off here and see what I can get into around here before I have to go to my 2pm conference at Chella's school.. ain't having kids a blast a minute?

Y'all have fun