Burrell, Oscar Schmidt makes electric guitars and they're usually very cheap (for a real instrument) on MusiciansFriend.com Although some brick'n'mortar places carry them if you want to try them out. I've owned 2 different ones. They're definitely something a serious player would want to upgrade from but for a casual player like me, they're fine.

CJ has impulse control issues and has been on ADHD meds. It has made a huge difference. I can tell when he forgets his pill for a day. In the dojo, the senseis are aware of this, but he is still expected to conform to the appropriate behavior in class.

In other words, what msbelle said.

I don't know, tommyrot, that's a tough one.

Make her play acoustic first, Burrell! It's harder than electric, making that transition easier later, and easier on parents' ears during the learning process. And it's just one thing to buy rather than electric guitar, cables, amp, pedals, etc.

So I think that our housesitter subbed out his housesitting. He's a teetotaler, but there's beer caps and snuff canisters in the bedroom. Plus clothes I know belong to our intern. And the house in general was messier than he usually leaves it. So I'm pretty sure that he hired the work out, and I don't know for how long, because he texted last night asking if he needed to stay an extra night and didn't say anything about not being here.

The thing is, I probably would have been okay with the intern doing it, but I hired you and not him for a reason, and that reason is the intern standing there like an ass holding the door open while the Biscuit ran away when he was living with us. While I think he's generally reasonably responsible, I don't entirely trust him with the dog because his own dog used to be in bad shape when we visited, and because he was unwilling to chase him down and retrieve him when he got away because of something he, the intern, had done.

It is not okay for him to have hired it out and not told us. I know he was super busy, but he knew that when he accepted the job. He could have just said no, and we could have made our own decisions.

It also means he gave the intern his own code. We cleared the codes after the intern moved out for a reason. So we will need to clear these codes again, and he will have to set a new code later, because the point of having the codes is that we have control over who can come in the house.

Not on, housesitter. It makes me cringe thinking about the eight week period over the summer when we have the camp booked and can't take the dog. We're just going to have to figure something else out.

Bonny, get her a copy of The Elephant in the Playroom.

That's awful, Liese. I'd hit the roof if someone did that. I hope you find someone trustworthy.

Oh jeez, Liese.

So, that makes my lunch issue seem pretty unimportant. They made my sandwich with turkey instead of roast beef! With Boursin! It's still good, but not AS good.

bonny, does the mom belong to a support group, maybe an online one for parents of adhd kids?

msbelle, she does not participate in any groups...

She has to get out of the headspace of blaming people for not understanding. Them understanding doesn't change it happening. Them understanding won't magically take her anger away.

Amen. I think, in some ways, she is looking for a magical answer that does not include letting go of her blaming the son AND her ex, or being who they are. She keeps bringing the child to me, despite verbally suggesting she does not trust me. I think she's hoping I'll unlock something 'normal' in him and she won't have to grieve or process her own feelings.

Also, I would suggest if she has the time or money, a martial arts class for her and for the kid. not together. also? meds, for both of them. better living through chemistry.

They are both medicated at this point and I can really see the boy's meds wearing off by the time he gets to me at 4pm. It just points up how much MORE she has to deal with each day.

I will suggest martial arts. I want to think it would be great for the boy, who parrots stuff about 'being nice' and 'controlling himself' but it seems as if he has not idea how, and no real reason to, given how things work between them.

Thanks for the book suggestion, Cashmere. It looks really helpful.

Jumping in to agree with Liese - it's generally better to start playing on an acoustic instrument. There are a number of good instruments made for people with small hands and bodies from Samick, Strunal, Martin, Taylor and others (that is, low-end to high-end).

Try McCabe's (Pico Blvd in Santa Monica between 30th & 31st, across from TJs); they have a really good selection and are kid-friendly.

Yikes Liese. That is so not on.

Jumping in to agree with Liese - it's generally better to start playing on an acoustic instrument.

I'd recommend a classical guitar, which has nylon strings.

eta: Nylons strings are much easier on the fingers than steel strings.