the Divine has been having multiple and continuous behavioral problems. she has anger management, control, lack of empathy and then your basic sarcasm issues. Yesterday, in discussing with her my most recent phone call from a third party regarding her unacceptable behavior in general and then what was apparently directed at another child, i rubbed my temples and said her little name with a very deep sigh and she said, real nonchalantly, "Mom, maybe you should have thought about these things before you decided to have a child." I stared at her - my FOUR year old - for a minute and then said, in one of my worst parent moments, "Yes, and about 300 other things." We then got back to the subject at hand.

I'm at a loss. When I describe her behavior to others, they find it humorous or startling, but then chalk it up to just being bright or your basic difficult child. It's her teachers at school and at church and myself and anyone who deals with her in the long term that experiences just how dysfunctional she is. She's not normal. I know, as a mother knows, when there is something not right with your child and it's time to have her evaluated. And while I want to know, I'm also a little afraid b/c frankly, while I want some hope that she can be handled, that there are some steps we can take to help her function in a manner that does not continue to ostracize her from the other children her age - I also worry that their conclusion will be a little more bleek.

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