I have noticed that our son (age 8 ) often tries to keep things under control, but then it often seems to spiral away from him. I have found that interrupting the mood by bring humor into it helps, and can often dissipate the entire situation. He is unable to resist a "knock-knock" joke, so when he is heading for a "melt-down" i say "knock-knock", and he will say "who's there" in his angry little voice, and then I have to come up with a good answer.... and we continue on. then I will say, "your turn" and he will say "knock-knock" to me, and I really have to laugh really hard when he tells me who is there..... After that the bad mood is usually gone, and while he may not do what was originally asked, we are both relieved that we did not get to "melt-down". His teachers are also using this strategy, but fortunately do not see bad behavior often. I dont know how long this will work.... little boys quickly out-grow knock -knock jokes....
Anger is often sedated w/laughs, even when he grows out of the knock knock jokes he will grow into another type of joke and just follow it. I have found that asking an adhd child to sit quietly is anything but possible, so I give them a little trick to play and nobody is the wiser, including teachers. They put their fingers together and twiddle their thumbs. It keeps the busy mind busy and they still manage to learn something.
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Ms Merely,
I am spending more and more time on these sites as each has nuggets of info that are goldern. my son will have a new teacher this year, last year she was a close friend and lay leader of our congregation! this years teacher will have no such emotional
constraints and I, more than my son , am very anxious. I will meet with our IEP team
before school begins and use your suggested format for anger management.
Please continue to add re entry strategies to your site. I am very grateful!
b
Evermom, be sure to read her piece on enlisting the help of an advocate in dealing with his school, or developing the iep, great ideas there. Plus, her two articles before that dealt with being your child's best advocate. Just trying to help...
Hi Evermom! Hi Paul!
I know...IEP's can be anxiety provoking...for my son's very first IEP...it was over five hours long. They can be emotionally draining. Know what you want for your son and be prepared with a written list. You are your son's strongest advocate.
It is something that each year is totally different...new teachers and new issues to deal with. It is good you are thinking now about all of this before the school year begins.
I would be more than happy to pass along anything that I have learned along the way. This is why I write...to help others who travel a similar journey.
Thank you so much for your comment and feedback...it is really good to know that what I write is of help to you.
Please stay in touch here! Let us know how things go for you and your son.
thank you so much for the references!!!!I am so befuddled making my way around
the sites. Did I say my little one has ADHD and bi polar??
Did I say I was nearly 70 and have a heart issue and fibro and arthritis?
Did I mention that my biggest fear is that I simple will run out of time before my
dear son is really independent............
thanks for letting me vent......I do get awfully frightened ......
bunny (evermom)