Last night difficult child was tired and stressed (a big report took up his evening so he didn't get his screen time). He started a little bit of a tantrum, which I ignored, and he sorta got over it. Then he became very oppositional - won't put his jammies on, won't brush his teeth, blah blah blah.
I was prepared from a recent therapy session to ignore, sidestep, etc., his comments. I didn't engage.
His response was, "Geez, Mom, when I really need an argument you never have one with me."
This stopped me in my tracks. I asked him what he meant, and he said that having arguments makes him feel better when he's feeling bad. I know this is the motivation behind a lot of the teasing he does with his little brother, and I know he gets oppositional when stressed, but it was very interesting to hear it in his own words.
So I praised him for being "so smart that he can say how he feels inside" and left it at that.
Guess it's all fodder for the next therapy session.
I was prepared from a recent therapy session to ignore, sidestep, etc., his comments. I didn't engage.
His response was, "Geez, Mom, when I really need an argument you never have one with me."
This stopped me in my tracks. I asked him what he meant, and he said that having arguments makes him feel better when he's feeling bad. I know this is the motivation behind a lot of the teasing he does with his little brother, and I know he gets oppositional when stressed, but it was very interesting to hear it in his own words.
So I praised him for being "so smart that he can say how he feels inside" and left it at that.
Guess it's all fodder for the next therapy session.