Spoiled BRAT!

A couple months ago I got a phone call from Evan's teacher requesting that Bill and I come in for a parent-teacher conference. At the conference she told us how Evan frequently makes comments that his mom hates him. He even had said at one point that he was playing a game in his head, that was ok because it was in his head, called slapped. When asked what the game was he said that he was slapping his mom.

Of course this sent red flags to the school so they sent him to speak with the school counselor. Upon being asked why he thinks his mom hates him he said things like, "I only get to play games at her house for an hour. And at my dads I can play as much as I want." Clearly, not a source of concern.

The reason the parent-teacher conference was still called was because the teacher and school counselor felt that Evan needed to speak with a counselor outside of school. Although neither Bill or I felt that this was necessary we didn't want to look like we didn't care so we said we would do it. Fortunately, my employer has a therapist that employees and immediate family are able to use for free. 

The therapist was really good with Evan. And us as well. First, she talked with all three of us. Asking Evan things like "who lives in dads house?" And "who lives with you and mom?" Then, she had Evan go in the waiting area and draw on an easel while she talked with just Bill and I. What she said next was not news to me but not what I had expected her to say. 

"Please don't take offense to this but there is NOTHING wrong with your child. I do not feel he needs to regularly speak with a therapist. He is very much an only child.. He is a spoiled brat! He tells his teacher you hate him for attention. Stop acknowledging it and it'll go away."

So that's what we did. And that's what we told his teacher to do... And away it went. Except during a meltdown every now and then.