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is the summer worse or better
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<blockquote data-quote="seriously" data-source="post: 445587" data-attributes="member: 11920"><p>Speaking for our family, yes it goes both ways to some extent.</p><p></p><p>Generally speaking, schedule changes bring problems until a new schedule has been in place for a while.</p><p></p><p>If you want my advice, I would do whatever you can to de-compact his day. I would shorten his camp day, either by having him only go 1/2 day or pick him up 1 or 2 hours early, with or without sibling. If he still seems over-stimulated, it may just be too much for him to go to camp right now. You don't say what kind of camp it is, but for a kid who has trouble with transitions, summer camp can be a nightmare. There is, from their perspective, a near constant shifting between activities, leaders, and location within the camp area that is not like school (especially for a 7 yo) who typically has one teacher and stays in one classroom, indoors, all day every day.</p><p></p><p>I suggest that you put up all sharps like knives and sharp scissors, letter openers, razors, sewing basket/scissors and anything else in the living area that he could use to hurt himself. Lock the garage if there are sharps out there. It's OK to keep safety scissors out. If you have to use sharp implements like scissors, perhaps you can find a way to do so out of his sight. I can't explain the comments but they are certainly not "normal" and, regardless of the reason, you have to take them seriously I think. It's a huge pain - we are currently living this way - but given that the alternative is that your child hurts himself or someone else seriously is much worse. Once you've gotten some psychiatric assessment you will hopefully be in a better position to judge if this is necessary.</p><p></p><p>If possible, you want to stop the daily melt downs. They become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy after a while - both because of habit and because they are affecting the way his brain works. The more often he rages, the more likely it is that he will rage because that pattern is being reinforced in his developing brain. This is why it's important with young kids to try to intervene effectively and early.</p><p></p><p>I think that ignoring the comments is exactly the right tack. I would not ask him "Why" questions about anything frankly. A 7 year old doesn't really know "why". They just do - they are still to young (as a general rule) to have any real insight.</p><p></p><p>You can try asking him to draw you a picture about his life, his family, his feelings. You can ask him to tell you a story about a little boy like him going on a trip, for example. Things like this - indirect ways for him to express his feelings and perceptions of himself and his family - often give very helpful clues to what's going on with a child. Much more than asking them straight out.</p><p></p><p>If he is overstimulated, unless it's very clear to you that TV/electronic stuff is calming to him, I would turn them off in the evening. Reading to him from a low key story that his sibling would also enjoy - Stuart Little or My Father's Dragon come to mind, a warm bath with a little lavender oil, other evening/bed time rituals may produce a big change if they are done consistently every evening for at least 2 weeks.</p><p></p><p>Hope you're able to get some help solving your mystery and getting the help needed.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="seriously, post: 445587, member: 11920"] Speaking for our family, yes it goes both ways to some extent. Generally speaking, schedule changes bring problems until a new schedule has been in place for a while. If you want my advice, I would do whatever you can to de-compact his day. I would shorten his camp day, either by having him only go 1/2 day or pick him up 1 or 2 hours early, with or without sibling. If he still seems over-stimulated, it may just be too much for him to go to camp right now. You don't say what kind of camp it is, but for a kid who has trouble with transitions, summer camp can be a nightmare. There is, from their perspective, a near constant shifting between activities, leaders, and location within the camp area that is not like school (especially for a 7 yo) who typically has one teacher and stays in one classroom, indoors, all day every day. I suggest that you put up all sharps like knives and sharp scissors, letter openers, razors, sewing basket/scissors and anything else in the living area that he could use to hurt himself. Lock the garage if there are sharps out there. It's OK to keep safety scissors out. If you have to use sharp implements like scissors, perhaps you can find a way to do so out of his sight. I can't explain the comments but they are certainly not "normal" and, regardless of the reason, you have to take them seriously I think. It's a huge pain - we are currently living this way - but given that the alternative is that your child hurts himself or someone else seriously is much worse. Once you've gotten some psychiatric assessment you will hopefully be in a better position to judge if this is necessary. If possible, you want to stop the daily melt downs. They become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy after a while - both because of habit and because they are affecting the way his brain works. The more often he rages, the more likely it is that he will rage because that pattern is being reinforced in his developing brain. This is why it's important with young kids to try to intervene effectively and early. I think that ignoring the comments is exactly the right tack. I would not ask him "Why" questions about anything frankly. A 7 year old doesn't really know "why". They just do - they are still to young (as a general rule) to have any real insight. You can try asking him to draw you a picture about his life, his family, his feelings. You can ask him to tell you a story about a little boy like him going on a trip, for example. Things like this - indirect ways for him to express his feelings and perceptions of himself and his family - often give very helpful clues to what's going on with a child. Much more than asking them straight out. If he is overstimulated, unless it's very clear to you that TV/electronic stuff is calming to him, I would turn them off in the evening. Reading to him from a low key story that his sibling would also enjoy - Stuart Little or My Father's Dragon come to mind, a warm bath with a little lavender oil, other evening/bed time rituals may produce a big change if they are done consistently every evening for at least 2 weeks. Hope you're able to get some help solving your mystery and getting the help needed. [/QUOTE]
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