​Walk Forth Monday

I could fill this whole paragraph with “go for a ride” and it still wouldn’t be as many times as I heard it today. Owen’s shouted it, sang it, and screamed it within an inch of my nose. We went for a ride, albeit quick because of the weather we still did go. He always asks to go for a ride because I push him in his stroller. Every once in awhile he will walk, but generally he likes me to push him. “Vacuum” is a close second for what he has wanted today. He wants the big vacuum out so he can do the reviews like the videos he watches, but he screams about it more than he recites the reviews. The little vacuum he likes to turn on, scream to turn it off, actually turn it off, and then immediately turn it back on. And he is the one holding it. I know he must be working through emotions, that’s all I can think about. The screaming is constant. We worked on one of his school apps. It was math problems. He knew them. We say them out loud all the time and he can go through them quickly on several of the math apps he has. However, Owen likes the negative reaction the characters do on the apps. This causes him to repeatedly choose the wrong answers so he gets to do the same thing over and over again. And he thrives if I show any concern for the wrong answer. He will drag the wrong number to the box and watch how I respond. He delights in my response as much as he does the app’s noises for an incorrect answer. Trying to discipline Owen works the same way. If I put him in timeout or explain why we don’t do something that will make him repeat the action again. I’m looking at new ways to discipline him, but even more in ways to get him to understand what his actions mean. I tell him all the time we are a team and we have to work through this together. I never imagined how difficult it could be for my child, but I’m thankful for his smile, his joy, and his love. I keep reminding myself that this is one moment in time and we will get through it. I was probably harder on myself than I should have been today, but I want to give my child the world and the world seems to be standing still at the moment. Keep pushing forward I remind myself. Be the change you want to see in the world and remember you are not alone. Smiles to all and donut daze!