The *Lost and Tired* family has been struggling with extremely violent meltdowns from one Gavin Alexander. We have been trying different things with little benefit.
These meltdowns are a manipulative tool that Gavin uses *only* when he's being held accountable for a choice he's made.
These meltdowns hold the entire family hostage and need to stop. Out of desperation I have made the consequences of this behavior more severe. We don't hit and we don't spank. We believe in a nonviolent approach to discipline.
That said, there are ways of making the consequences more painful without causing physical harm.
In Gavin’s case, I told him that with every meltdown he has, I will remove something from his room, beginning with his Teddy Bear and favorite blanket.
Since the implementation of this new, more aggressive approach, we have been meltdown free. We are on the morning of day 3 and not a single meltdown. That makes 2 full days without the screaming, self-injury and house shaking.
There have been several times where he would have typically melted down. However, as he's gearing up to freak out, I remind him of the consequences and he stops on a dime. It's literally like he just flips off the switch.
I knew Gavin was capable of great choices. Everyday that this trend continues, simply proves that even more.
***Thanks for reading***
* -Lost and Tired*
*Please join our Autism Help Forum*
*Look for "Autism Help" app at the Google Play Store*
Posted via WordPress for Android. Please forgive any typos as auto correct and I don't see eye to eye.
