The kids are having a ball with this nice weather....it's been raining a lot, but we've still managed to make it outside (splashed in puddles, played in the rain). A funny thing happened this week. We had won a Nintendo DS and Payton loves any type of game like that (anything that she can push buttons - even though she has no clue how to play it). Anyways, we knew it would be coming in the mail and so we wrapped it up for Payton and she got to open it. She was sooooo excited and we told her we'd take her to walmart so we could get her a game (unfortunately they didn't have a Dora game, but she was thrilled about the Mario game she got). Anyways, you'll notice I typed the dreaded word 'Walmart'. We've had horrible experiences with Payton at walmart - but they have been getting better. Unfortunately the new DS and the adventure of getting the new game was way too much for her. We decided it was just too much excitement for her and she just lost it and went into meltdown mode. The strange thing about it was that even though I was in the very back of the store and Payton was screaming/kicking as loud as she could, I walked out - noticing everyone staring at me (some ofcourse are glares) and wasn't even embarassed! Parents have told me that I would get to the point that I would realize it didn't matter what other people thought - I know Payton can't help it and that's all that mattered. Well, it happened - I wasn't embarassed! I took Payton to the car, we waited on Bob and Koen to pay, and then left (Payton screaming the whole way home). It made for a rough night for her - but Bob and I both knew the blame was on way too much excitement.......what an amazing feeling to not be embarrassed and nervous by it all. I'm now accepting that many of these feelings she can't control and that as long as we know this, it doesn't matter what the people around us are thinking about her (and us as parents!)-we're trying to teach her this isn't acceptable and I know it will take time (albeit a LONG time) but eventually we'll see progress in her behavior. For now, it's progress with me.
4 comments:
If it is an comfort to you I come very close to a meltdown myself when I shop there. It is way to busy for me. Grace is obsessed with her ds. I tease her that it is an extension of her right arm.
Good for you Tara. it does help when you can move past what everyon e else thinks. It makes it a bit easier hwn you can just focus on helping your child through what is happening. Progress!
Urgh. Not fun. But I'm glad that you are making progress. It also helps to know that this stuff isn't forever...at least at this intensity.
Hang in there!
Congratulations! It is an amazing feeling when you get to that point. I think it comes and goes for me depending on the situation, but it is a great feeling. Knowing that it really doesn't matter what everyone else is thinking. I mean they are strangers, and how often will you see them? Probably never again? So no, it doesn't matter what they think at all. They don't know you or your situation. Great job Tara! I promise it does get better, or at least fewer and further between :) Caleb just got the handle of video games within the last year or two. That is something we thought he would never 'get' but it happened. :)
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