Liahona
Active Member
difficult child 1 has been saying those words or variations thereof for a few weeks. He has said things like that in the past, but it would be forgotten about for at least a few months before he said it again. Now he is saying it a few times a week. The therapist thinks its difficult child 1's way of saying I'm hurt and upset; that he doesn't really mean to kill himself. I'm still worried about it because the thought is in there enough to be verablized. difficult child 1 will say it at the smallest upset too. He doesn't want to work or he doesn't want the consequence. Once, he said it in a very calm matter-of-fact manner. He wasn't upset about anything. Just all of a sudden "I want to kill myself with that knife." If I draw attention to it the words become a power struggle. After the therapist talked to him about it he told me "I won't say 'I want to kill myself' if you wouldn't pick me up from where I don't want to be picked up from". (I had made him leave the playground earlier that day, and he didn't want to go.) So, I don't fuss much when he says that. Mostly, I acknowledge the upset and tell him he still has to have the consequence or do the work. After a few min. of being very upset he is fine and happy.
Anyone been in this situation? What did you do or wish you had done in hindsite?
Anyone been in this situation? What did you do or wish you had done in hindsite?