About to Go Crazy!

[Laurel]

If worse comes to worse, give him his own toys for a while. Anytime he tries to take something that is not his go right away and get it. Put it back on the shelf or give it to whoever he took it from.

I might say "Sorry Johnny, you can only play with the toys in this box/shelf until I see that you won't take toys from the babies. Maybe this afternoon you will be ready not to take a toy someone has in their hand. We'll see." Just keep repeating and doing it. When you think he may be getting it then give him a trial and tell him "Well let's see if you are ready."

I would send him elsewhere to cry. We have the 'crying step' where they can cry all they want but can't get up until they are finished. After a time or two all I have to say is "It is okay to cry but please go to the crying step and cry." They almost always stop crying just at the mention of it.

Laurel

[caregiver]

If worse comes to worse, give him his own toys for a while. Anytime he tries to take something that is not his go right away and get it. Put it back on the shelf or give it to whoever he took it from.

I might say "Sorry Johnny, you can only play with the toys in this box/shelf until I see that you won't take toys from the babies. Maybe this afternoon you will be ready not to take a toy someone has in their hand. We'll see." Just keep repeating and doing it. When you think he may be getting it then give him a trial and tell him "Well let's see if you are ready."

I would send him elsewhere to cry. We have the 'crying step' where they can cry all they want but can't get up until they are finished. After a time or two all I have to say is "It is okay to cry but please go to the crying step and cry." They almost always stop crying just at the mention of it.

Laurel

Thanks, I will try this, hopefully it will work.

[Tdhmom]

Tried the coloring book today as he was acting out again in the morning and after lunch. After lunch when he acted out again, I took him out of the group and he said to me"now I get to color". It doesn't seem to mean anything to him except he thinks when he acts up now, he gets to color. So it is not resolving the problem at hand, so I need to do something else to get him to understand that it is not nice to take toys away and push the other kids. He is a very smart boy! Having him sit with me or be with me while I do something will not work either as he will start to wander and I tell him to get back here and he starts his tantrum thing and screams. Besides terming him, what other ideas does anyone have as to how to get through to this kid,make him understand that he can not do what he is doing, but giving him some other thing to do is not getting through to him,he just thinks what he did was ok and now he gets to do something else, do you see what I mean? Nothing is working and he keeps doing the taking away and pushing. It is not solving the issue. I am at my wits end,never have had a child that is so stubborn and won't listen.

I choose this time to do something super fun with everyone else. I have a rice tote they get to play with on rainy days so I got that out and let the toddlers play in it while the preschoolers did craft. And then the preschoolers got to play in while toddlers did craft, all where he could see what was going on. It drove him crazy!
He got sent to the table for kicking/throwing toys (toy hit his sister in the head) I used to do time out for it and it never worked. I did this to him ONE day and he hasn't thrown another toy since then.
Same with his sister. She pushed one of my toddlers down the stairs going outside to get to the swing set. She had to sit on the porch with just crayons and book while we were outside. She walks very carefully down the stairs now away from everyone when she does it.
Try to make sure he knows he's missing out on something when he behaves that way. And that your not going to tolerate it.
Best of luck!!!

[My3cents]

Tried the coloring book today as he was acting out again in the morning and after lunch. After lunch when he acted out again, I took him out of the group and he said to me"now I get to color". It doesn't seem to mean anything to him except he thinks when he acts up now, he gets to color. So it is not resolving the problem at hand, so I need to do something else to get him to understand that it is not nice to take toys away and push the other kids. He is a very smart boy! Having him sit with me or be with me while I do something will not work either as he will start to wander and I tell him to get back here and he starts his tantrum thing and screams. Besides terming him, what other ideas does anyone have as to how to get through to this kid,make him understand that he can not do what he is doing, but giving him some other thing to do is not getting through to him,he just thinks what he did was ok and now he gets to do something else, do you see what I mean? Nothing is working and he keeps doing the taking away and pushing. It is not solving the issue. I am at my wits end,never have had a child that is so stubborn and won't listen.

If coloring is stopping him from doing the behavior it is working. I do see where your coming from, but at his age he doesn't have that logic in his brain yet. If separating him and having him do another activity works I would go with it.

[My3cents]

Also, he may very well know it pushes your buttons that he think coloring is fun! It won't take long for the novelty to wear off! Call his bluff! I'm almost sure coloring will not be "fun" for long.

I can see this child breaking all the crayons! I'd only give him a few...if he breaks them, he gets gets little broken ones!

or throwing them. I would do the books instead. Just a place to calm down and reflect.