Hope

I try not to be superstitious, but I think I'm going to set myself up for a terrible week by writing this post.  I do want to make sure parents out there know that sometimes the stars align, the gods are smiling on you, and things go really well.  For G, this last week has been one of those great times.

School has gone well, at least what he's had of it.  It was a good week prior, then we had MLK and a teacher work day.  Can't get in trouble at school if you're not there, and he was at his grandmother's busy being the center of attention.  Then we had a snow day.  Back to school Thursday and Friday with two hour delays.  So it wasn't a great judge of how he's doing at school.

At home, he's been awesome.  He's had fewer meltdowns/tantrums/whatever-you-want-to-call-it.  I've been encouraging him to do some chores for allowance.  I don't pay by the week, I pay by the chore.  (There's an app for that!)  So we don't have much moaning about setting the table or unloading the dishwasher.  We do not pay him for chores that are directly related solely to him.  He has to clean his own room, pick up his messes, and put away clean laundry, all without pay.  He's been doing a great job of getting these activities completed without fussing.  Its not without us fussing some, though, because the Lego table is mesmerizing and far more exciting than cleaning up.

When out and about, he's been doing really well.  One thing that I've wanted him to pick up was the quiet negotiation without a tantrum.  Example: We are at Target, and I tell him to hop up into the cart.

Outcome 1:
"No!  NOOOOO!   I don't want to!  No!  I want to walk!  I WANT TO WALK!  Aaaaahhhhh!"

Outcome 2:
"Can I just walk beside the cart?  I'll stay close."

We've had years of Outcome 1.  I've been working on Outcome 2.  I'm not a stern mom (or teacher)- I very seldom draw a hard line.  I'm well-known at school for being willing to compromise with my students, and it really works well with some students that want control over their lives.  So with G, I've been telling him, "If you talk to me about what you want, you're far more likely to get it.  When you act immature and yell and scream, I know I can't trust you to walk by the cart."

And its working!  With, and at times without, the medicine!  Hallelujah!

Maybe one day I can let him loose unmedicated in the grocery store with the child-sized cart.  But I'm not holding my breath on that one.  We've tried it a couple of times.  I've got scars on my heels from being run over, and the floors at the store will forever hold the doughnut marks from his racing.

Hang in there, fellow parents.  There is HOPE!