Don't Punish a Meltdown

    It's been awhile since I've written a real slice of life post. Well here it is. As it often happens with the posts of these kinds, the inspiration came from an unlikely source.

    How many times have you been told, "I would punish my child if he/she acted like that!" when someone witnessed one of your child's meltdowns?

    So we're rewatching Stranger Things seasons one and two on a loop lately. (I think Liam is ready for season three and tired of waiting, lol.) And something dawned on me. Wait......

SPOILERS AHEAD! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!!

     In season two, episode 4, when Elle and Hopper get into a fight about her breaking the rules, it was eerily reminiscent of watching an autism meltdown. Let me preface the rest of this as saying, NO I DON'T THINK ELEVEN IS AUTISTIC. Any fan of the show clearly knows, she has psionic abilities. And while our kids have their own "superpowers," thanks to Autism, we know they can't manipulate objects with their minds.

    However, if you watch this clip, you may see the similarities I picked up on. When our kids (or us for that matter,) have a meltdown as a result of an argument, there's a point at which you stop. You stop yelling, speaking, and probably breathing. Because WE know that if we don't, we can ignite the meltdown even further.

    Okay, so in the show, Elle isn't having a meltdown per say. She gets in trouble with Hop for disobeying his rules. This leads to an argument. However, because he too is angry, he keeps pressing her. Yelling. Screaming. Punishing her by taking away the things she loves. Now, I'm not at all saying kids shouldn't be punished when they misbehave or break rules. What I am saying is that we must learn to step back.

    We know that Hopper lost his daughter at a young age. So he hasn't been a daddy for a few years. Now he's raising a tween. A powerful tween, that is full of hormones, emotions, rage, and heartbreak, from a life lived in a lab. So not only is Hop out of date on parenting, but he's never had to father a child of this age, or with this background. 

    Okay, so let's think of the people that tell us our kids should be punished when having a meltdown. They are Hops. (Maybe not as sweet, because let's face it, some people suck.) What I mean is, they may not be parents, or aren't parents to special kids. So they don't realize that we can't yell, scream, and punish our kids when they are having a meltdown.

    We all know that as our kids get older, and they do make mistakes, we need to step in. However, when an argument progresses into a meltdown, we must step back. In that moment, the time for reprimand is lost. Now it becomes a spiral, that we must guide our children through.

    Once they make it out the other side of that meltdown, they're tired, we're tired. Probably still angry or at the very least upset, too. Which means, that now isn't the time either. This is where "we must choose our battles," stands out. Depending on the infraction that led to the argument, and the subsequent meltdown, there may still need to be a punishment. However, that can come later.

    When everyone involved has calmed down, and is thinking rationally, is when we should sit down and talk. Explain to our autie what they did wrong. Why we were so upset. And then give the punishment. However, be clear that you aren't punishing for the meltdown, but rather the mistake the child made which led to the argument and spiraled into that meltdown. 

    So my whole comparison for this post is this: When people see our kids having a meltdown. They're screaming, crying, maybe throwing things, breaking things, (like Eleven in the clip above,) or becoming self injurious, they think our kids are being brats. Those people would react much like Hopper. However, they don't realize, that in that moment, our children are out of control. But WE DO. And that's all that matters. So choose your battles, and bide your time. You got this. (And be thankful our kids don't have psionic abilities! Can you imagine that? We would never have windows, doors, and probably walls in our homes.)

To the Untrained Eye, Our Kids Look Like Brats

We’ve all been there. In the middle of a crowded store, or restaurant, and our kid has a meltdown. The stares. The whispers. It’s an awful situation for everyone involved.

If I said I didn’t get angry with those people, I’d be lying. I know that they’re silently judging my child, and our parenting techniques. However, being that we’ve been on this journey awhile, I have come to have a new found patience with these people. (That is as long as they keep their opinions to themselves.) I understand that unless they live with an autistic, or work with one, they probably, in all honesty, think our kids are brats.

This is why as parents, families, teachers, and therapists of these amazing kids, we must do our best to educate. As a matter of fact, Liam presented me with a chance to educate last night. It wasn’t in public though, it was in our own home.

Before I go any further, I am NOT in any way condemning my husband for not recognizing the cues. I spend pretty much ALL of my time with Liam, and I know him like no other. There have been times when I can call a meltdown before he even realizes what’s happening. I’m also not knocking my step son. He isn’t around his brother much as he has a full time job, a girlfriend, and a life. I am merely relaying what happened, in hopes to maybe educate others.

Last night my husband took Liam and his older brother to two Super Bowl parties. Liam was going to stay home with me, but towards the afternoon, he decided he wanted “man time.” I, of course was thrilled because that meant HOURS to myself. I knew however, that more than likely, this would be a disaster later. What are we to do? We can’t keep our children from enjoying life just to save sensory overload or a meltdown later.

I had FIVE entire hours to myself. (Aside from my fur and fin kids.) It was great. When the boys arrived home, I met them at the door. Liam was a bit lethargic and quiet. I asked him if he was okay, and he replied, “yes, just tired.” I ushered him inside, and told him to lay down on the couch.

The other men filed in and within minutes Liam was bouncing off the walls. He was yelling, stimming and laughing, and being obnoxious. Typical of Liam when he is overstimulated. Instead of decompressing, he usually ends up like this, then heads into a chaotic state. I tried to get him to relax and sit, and talk to me about his night. That wasn’t happening.

In the midst of his jumping, stimming and screaming, he decided he needed to wrestle his brother. At this point, his body was wanting MORE input. Knowing what would come next, I advised against this. No one listens to me. EVER. His brother was cracking up and having a blast. One look at Liam’s face and I knew where this was headed. He would soon get pissed and things would get much worse.

Daddy came out. He thought the boys were just playing. So what does he do? He starts boxing with Liam. After a few minutes Liam’s eyes close. Tears are flowing, and he is swinging with all his might. Then he started kicking. I had to yell OVER him to get my husband’s attention. At this time, he knew Liam wasn’t playing, but he was busy blocking off his no no zone, and just kind of staring at him, unsure of what to do.

I told him (hubby) to go away. I glanced at Branden as I put Liam in a hold. Poor kid wasn’t sure what was going on. (I honestly think he thought Liam was being bad and was waiting to see what was going to happen.) I managed to carry Liam to the couch where he would be cushioned if he started flailing again, and asked if he wanted pressure. He screamed in my face. Eyes still closed. So I just backed up and patted his butt, as it has been the quickest way to calm him since he was a baby. I looked at his face and my heart was breaking.

He had black circles around his sunken in eyes from lack of sleep. Tears were flowing. His nose and lips were red, chapped and cracked, and his bottom lip was bleeding. He whispered, “Mama I need some pressure.”

Of course his weighted blanket was drying from just being washed that evening. His body sock was missing as well. I was able to think clear enough to grab his big crocheted blanket, which provides at least half of the weight he needs. I was actually able to get him calmed down in about fifteen minutes.

Then he asked for chocolate shake. (What he has always called chocolate milk.) Guess what? We were out. (We let him run out because he has been using way too much and he refuses to listen to us.) Of all times for us to try and teach him a lesson. I made some sugar and baking cocoa, but he wasn’t having any of that. He took his meds with a little pop, and let me put some coconut oil on his lips. He was fast asleep in another ten minutes. He slept until 11 am. I let him sleep because I knew after all of that, he needed to rest.

Afterwards, I had my husband walk out. In front of Branden I apologized for screaming at him to walk away. I explained that Liam had all of the tell tale PRE meltdown signs. I even went through each one, making sure they both knew I wasn’t patronizing them, but was telling them for the next time. Especially since they can differ from time to time. This was the first time in awhile that Liam had them to this extreme. In recap, Liam went from:

• lethargy
• hyperactivity/stimming
• craving input
• anger
• out of control, meltdown mode

My husband said he thought Liam was playing at first, and Branden concurred. When he got out of control both just thought he was mad. I pointed out the blind rage and the fact that he was falling and throwing himself across the room. He wasn’t angry, he was out of control.

Sometimes even family needs to be reminded of what is going on. Which is why so many of us write about it, talk about it, and Facebook it. Yes, we are divulging some personal moments, but we do so in the hopes of helping someone else. For the families that live lives like ours, they don’t feel alone. For those that don’t, if they happen to read this, and learn from it, well then maybe they won’t judge that screaming kid in public.

Rock and a hard place....

  Trigger warning: whiny mother who feels defeated, deflated, and discouraged.


Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, it's going to back fire in your face? Like you're caught between a rock and a hard place??? 





  As a special needs parent it's our job to prepare our kiddos for the world (to prepare the world for our kiddos) and to combat any issues that may arise in this process. Many of our autie kiddos are VERY dependent on a schedule, on their routine, and anything less really creates an issue for them. Which inadvertently creates one for us.

  So we all know that when schedules/routines need to be changed, it's our job to prep our kids. (yes, sometimes we can't, that is life, and we have become accustomed to dealing with that fall out.) But the times we do know in advance, we prepare.

  Lately, preparing Liam for any routine changes seems to cause MORE issues for him. Thus creating more for me. For some reason, when I tell him what is changing, he spends almost every waking moment ruminating on these changes. For instance, tomorrow I have an appointment in the am. When we get home his MT will come for 2 hours. Then the neighbor kids are getting off the bus here. After that an OT will be here to evaluate him for services from his cyber school.

  While this may not seem like much to us, to him this is huge. I told him this morning what was going to take place tomorrow. I knew a busy day, that is out of our "norm," warranted some preparations. Instead, all it has done is given me a head ache and him more things to worry about.

  His mind is thinking of every damn thing that could go wrong. Even things that won't go wrong. It's creating scenarios about tomorrow that will never happen, but in his mind, they will. I feel awful saying it's annoying me. I know how bad that sounds. I also know how badly it's affecting him. But I did what I have always done, which is prepare him for the changes in the day ahead. I am thinking that I made the wrong decision....

  So I am left with, next time, do I tell him and watch him ruminate all day? Or do I NOT tell him, and then deal with the fall out? See what I mean? Rock and a hard place.... Is there even a right answer???



I am by no means a perfect mom. I know this. I just want to do what's best for my son. Sometimes I'm not just sure what that is.....  

Perspective

  Yesterday afternoon was off to a rough start. Liam was rotten for me during lessons. His new punishment is a writing assignment. 1) because he REALLY needs to work on his handwriting, and getting him to write is like pulling teeth. 2) because he hates it, and I'm sorry, but time outs, and groundings don't work. Had to try something new.

  So when he has been exceptionally rotten, he has to write. We start off with 5 short sentences, and if he persists, then it goes up by 5 each time. So I waited til Mr. M (TSS) got here to make him do it. I KNEW it was going to be a fight. It wasn't long, and I raised it to 10 sentences. He was screaming at me, kicking my chair and refusing to do it. So there son, now you have to do more!

  It turned into a pretty nasty meltdown. It was a tantrum at first. He was pissed. He didn't want to waste his "Mr. M time doing stupid writing." It quickly spun out of control and into a meltdown. He was screaming at me and telling me, "I SUCK! I CAN'T DO IT! MY WRITING IS HORRIBLE!" (he over heard me telling his new school I wanted an OT eval for him because his writing is not where it should be :/ ) He ended up hiding under my desk and insisting Mr. M leave the room. Odd, because he LOVES M. You see, the older Liam gets the more aware of his feelings he is. He was embarrassed.  He told me later he didn't want Mr. M seeing him "so mad and so sad." Once M complied (and I felt terrible for him) Liam dried his tears, rocked a bit and banged out his writing. I even offered to knock two off for him being such a trooper. His rule abiding reply??? "No momma, you said 10 and I was bad, so I will do 10."

  My plan was to let him paint pumpkins. As you know, being an autism momma is also about recognizing triggers for our kiddos. I knew that his self esteem at the moment was low and that letting him paint pumpkins may make that worse. He is such a perfectionist. Instead I decided to let him carve one. He grew 14, we have plenty to spare! He has a special kid safe knife (thank you pampered chef) that won't cut him, and he LOVES to be let loose on unsuspecting pumpkins.

  Now, I usually draw the face on, and then let him carve it. He tells me how he wants it to look and I draw it. This year, I figured I would just let him do as he wanted to it. It would be 100% Liam. We cleaned it out, and he was off......

This is what he carved....

Now, he stepped back and looked. I could see the disdain in his little face. "Momma. I suck! I ruined it!" Oh good God, here we go again. Thank God, my brain thought quickly for a change. "No, no Liam. You didn't ruin it!" "Yes I did momma. Look at the big hole!" "Liam, you see a big hole, I see a place to put the light without me having to reach inside it. Yuck!" He smiled wide! "You're right momma!" (Yep, ALWAYS,  just ask you're dad!) 

He was happy with that, and was ready to move on with more carving. So, I  asked him if he wanted a face on it. He did. I drew what he asked. He carved the eyes, nose and part of the mouth, then asked me to take over because his hands were tired. Those  pumpkins are thick little suckers!

Liam's pumpkin :)

When he was all done, I did the redneck thing that pita always does with the pumpkins. I jammed in a solar light. So much safer than candles, and I don't have to remember to go out and light it every night. When Liam saw it with the solar light, he was very pleased with his huge hole. He later told me "Yeah momma. I carved that big hole for a reason." ;) 

 So, carving pumpkins turned out to be a great lesson for Liam on perspective. He learned that there isn't only one way to see something. That there is always a bright side.

redneck pumpkin lighting ;)

<3 <3 <3 <3