Attitude, was the name of the game today. Owen has a big one that he doesn’t even completely understand. There’s a fine line between attitude and aggression and I try to make him comprehend that we have to be nice to one another. If something upsets Owen he doesn’t always know how to process it or try to be calm about it. Many times he will scream, hit, bite, or kick his way through a situation. The screaming is about the only one that is consistent anymore, but the others still happen. I talk to him about attitude and how we are a team and that we don’t disrespect each other. This is something we have been working on for years. Owen doesn’t work on a one and done training schedule. Something has to be repeated over and over and over and over and over again before he can start the process of grasping a concept. And then implementing the strategy to correct a behavior takes time as well. Trying to keep Owen calm some days is a chore in itself. If I go to the bathroom and it isn’t at a moment that Owen wants me to go he will scream. There are times where me closing the door bring screams and there are the times if I don’t close the door that it sends him into complete meltdowns. He will pull the door shut, sit outside of it, kicking on the door, and screaming about me going to the bathroom. Deep breath and a swig of coffee to get through that moment. It’s hard to imagine my eight year old screaming because I have to go to the bathroom. More deep breaths, a few blinks of the eyes, to keep the tears at bay. It’s emotional. The world has to be quiet when he needs it to be quiet and that could mean even if he is listening to something as loud as it can be or he could be completely asleep. Either way in that second he needs the world to do exactly what he needs it to do. And that could mean me not going to the bathroom, turning on a light, or singing a tune he may have already asked me to sing a hundred times earlier in the day. Every day I pray for patience and understanding, the love is the easy part. Owen’s smile gets me through our days. Find your smile, share your joy, and celebrate each and every victory. Make today matter. Smiles to all and donut daze!
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