Lately we have been working on coping skills at home. We are trying to make A more aware and use coping skills when his behavior slides so that he can recognize when he's having trouble and take steps to deal with it, be it a break, snuggle, whatever. When he has an overall good day, he earns a Squinkie. This has led to great discussions on behaviors and him (hooray!) asking for help when he feels like he may come apart. He is very aware and insightful and this has helped quite a bit. He wants to work on his behaviors.
Yesterday the kiddo was having a few rough moments. Every time he'd fall apart he would enter this woe of having a bad day. We had a conversation several times (on repeat) and it would usually end up similar to:
A: I'm having such a bad day! (Crying)
M: No, you aren't having a bad day, just a bad moment.
A: No! I'm having a bad day! I can't do it!
M: Did you have a bad day at Petsmart?
A: No.
M: Did you have a bad day at WalMart?
A: No...
M: Did you have a bad day a few minutes ago?
A: No...
M: See? You aren't having a bad day, you are having a bad moment.
A: Mom?
M: Yes buddy?
A: I'm having a bad moment!!
This morning so far he has spent in total tears for one thing or another. He was playing Bad Piggies on the iPad in my room while I slept. He kept screaming and yelling at it and I kept telling him to stop and take a break. A break, of course, that he refused. Perseveration is hard to break... After about 2 hours he decided to go downstairs and build some more Mario levels on my laptop (we have a special program that allows him to create away with every Mario Nintendo feature you can hope for).
It wasn't long before I heard him scream. Apparently Lakitu isn't cooperating. I manage to get him back up to my room and the floodgates have opened. He's gone from angry to all out frustration and upset.
He is not having a good morning...
He curls up into a little ball on my bed and I sit here and hug him. He snuggles in more and starts talking, telling me everything that has him so upset. (Such a blessing!) I say, "I know buddy, you are having a rough day."
He pauses for a moment and says, "I'm having a bad moment!"
He's now happily laying here playing Bubble Pig. I stand corrected. :)
