Hi, Sunshine,
How old is the child that is bipolar? One thing that really helped me to understand my illness was joining a group of bipolars. It helped me see where I was different than normal people and how to better handle it. Also the meds make a big difference. What is your child taking?
I was taking depakote that made me gain some weight so just added to my issues. I now take Serenity and it has made a world of difference. I lost the weight and now I am not tired all of the time and I can think and function better...more normally than before on the other meds.
Good luck,
Kathy K.