Negative persistence

TiredSoul

Warrior Mom since 2007
difficult child got an idea in his head about 7:30 this morning that he wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese. He has been melting down, screaming and crying like a 2 yr old, and begging PLEEEEEEASE over and over all day. I can't take it anymore.

Does anyone have any advice? My stress level is so high (and probably my blood pressure too). He gets like this when he wants something or wants to go somewhere - he gets fixated and can't move on. It's draining and exhausting. :( Sometimes when we have given in to something he wants - he then almost immediately moves on to obsessing about something else after he gets it.
 

Wiped Out

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Hugs Jules! I so know how you are feeling. This is the story of our lives. Wish I had some advice but know that you are not alone. I will be watching to see what advice others have.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I have a memory of Sonic as a toddler doing exactly the same thing over, of all places, Chuckee Cheese. the only way to stop him at that age was to go to Chuckee Cheese. He also did this when he wanted a new videogame. He'd obsess all day, meltdown, make me want to scream by repeating "I want_________" over and over again. In Sonic's case it was part of his Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which drove us buggy and we never did figure out what to do. We just let him wear it out because while you may try redirection, it never worked for Sonic. If he got something into his head, he was a bulldog. He never let it go. Worse, if we semi-gave in to have a quiet moment and said, "Chuckee Cheese is too far. How about McDonalds?" he would say, "No! It HAS to be Chuckee Cheese!" He really stood his ground...haha.

The good news: He still obsesses as an adult, but never has meltdowns over it and I can tell him to please stop talking about the same thing over and over again and he will say, "Ooooops, sorry." And he will stop. There is hope. During the hard times, remember that it likely will not be this way forever and hang onto that thought!
 
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Liahona

Guest
Will he stay in his room if told to? Would you have to hold the door shut to keep him in? How about head phones for everybody besides difficult child? You could go do yard work and leave him in the house. Run the vacuum? If your dish washer is noisy run that and sit in front of it. Do laundry and stay right by the noisy machines. Take a big book with you to read by the washer. Or your ipad/laptop. Sing a calming song at the top of your voice. Say everything in a whisper so if he wants to hear your response he has to be quiet. Would his behavior change in front of a non-family member? You could invite a friend to play.

Just throwing out some ideas. Good luck
 

TiredSoul

Warrior Mom since 2007
Thanks everyone. Some great ideas here.

No he won't stay in his room. I think it was either in K or 1st grade when we tried holding the door closed and he removed his screen and went out the window, hopped on his bike and took off with me running after him!

by the way, he is still on us about going to Chuck E Cheese but he is mellowing out about it. :)
 

IT1967

Member
I've definitely been there done that with-difficult child 2. Lately, it centers around playing kickball All. Day. Long. LOL!! Thankfully, with-the medications things have *knock on wood* improved.
 
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Liahona

Guest
This is a big fire hazard so you might not want to do this, we glued difficult child 2's window shut. It was the only way to keep him in the room at night.
 
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