KTMom91
Well-Known Member
Yesterday Miss KT worked at our local polling place. It was an extra credit opportunity through her government class. She was there with a classmate, and the older couple who were running the place. Apparently it started badly, and got worse. She felt the old man was yelling at her, that he was being mean, she didn't know what she was doing wrong or what she was supposed to be doing, and she was afraid to ask. She messaged me several times, then called all upset, and since I had to vote anyway, I went down there.
I noticed the old man had hearing aids in both ears, and I didn't get the impression that these were mean people. I felt that Miss KT just didn't know how to act and so her rudeness and hostility were coming out and making things uncomfortable. She takes everything personally, as an attack, and is unable to just let things go.
Anyway...about 8 pm she called, crying hysterically, and wanted to be picked up RIGHT NOW. Hubby and I went down, not to pick her up, but to try and calm her, because she was out of control. She was sitting with her head down, hood pulled over her head, just sobbing, and when the old woman tried to calm her, she screamed, "Don't touch me! Don't touch me!" She'd been crying off and on all day, and when she accidentally cut the old man's thumb on a box, and he made a comment, she lost it. I managed to calm her enough to finish, but now I'm confused.
I've seen the tantrums at home, but this is the first time, as far as I know, that she's "flipped out" in public. I know she was tired, she'd been there since 6 am, she was probably hungry, it was her first day working and she was nervous...it seems to me that this was an extreme reaction, and it worries me that her ability to maintain is slipping as she gets older. Any suggestions on what I can do to help her?
I noticed the old man had hearing aids in both ears, and I didn't get the impression that these were mean people. I felt that Miss KT just didn't know how to act and so her rudeness and hostility were coming out and making things uncomfortable. She takes everything personally, as an attack, and is unable to just let things go.
Anyway...about 8 pm she called, crying hysterically, and wanted to be picked up RIGHT NOW. Hubby and I went down, not to pick her up, but to try and calm her, because she was out of control. She was sitting with her head down, hood pulled over her head, just sobbing, and when the old woman tried to calm her, she screamed, "Don't touch me! Don't touch me!" She'd been crying off and on all day, and when she accidentally cut the old man's thumb on a box, and he made a comment, she lost it. I managed to calm her enough to finish, but now I'm confused.
I've seen the tantrums at home, but this is the first time, as far as I know, that she's "flipped out" in public. I know she was tired, she'd been there since 6 am, she was probably hungry, it was her first day working and she was nervous...it seems to me that this was an extreme reaction, and it worries me that her ability to maintain is slipping as she gets older. Any suggestions on what I can do to help her?