To: numbr1bakr@expressmail.com
From: luvmykids@expressmail.com
Subject: episode at Wal-Mart
Hey Liz,
How have your been doing? We have not talked for a couple of weeks now. I have been so busy with the kids and work lately that I have not had a chance to write to you. I am writing to tell you about a recent incident that happened with Lucas at Wal-Mart. As I have told you before, he loves going shopping there and helping me push the buggy. I have no idea what happened the other day, but he threw a huge temper tantrum when it was time to leave. He has never done this before and I do not know what caused him to do it. After we checked out, he threw himself on the floor and started kicking and screaming. We have not been back since because I do not know if he will do it again. It took awhile for me to get him calmed down enough so we could leave. After we got home and I had time to think about it, I remembered you saying that your son had done something similar when you left the mall one day. Please write me back ASAP with any help or advice for what you did to handle the situation.
Sincerely,
Jane
From: numbr1bakr@expressmail.com
Subject: Re: episode at Wal-Mart
Hi Jane,
I can’t believe it has been so long since we have been in touch. I was glad to see your name in my Inbox today. I am sorry to hear about what happened with Lucas at the store. It sounds very similar to what happened with Joshua one day when we were leaving the mall. I do not know what came across him, but he did not want to leave at all. He was kicking and screaming so much that my husband had to literally pick him up and carry him out. I was so baffled by what had happened because it came out of nowhere. Joshua had been fine the entire time were at the mall. He has done it quite a few more times since then. As I was reading some e-mails from my mailing list one day, I saw some that talked of this same thing. Some of the parents gave a few ideas on what they had done to help with situations when it was time to leave a certain place. One thing a parent had done was to carry a little clock with him. He let his child see the clock and told him that when the "big hand" got to a certain number then that is when it would be time to leave. Another parent would tell her child that they were going to count backwards from a certain number and when they got to "1" it would be time to go home. I find counting backwards from five right before leaving a place is what works best with Joshua. This way he can prepare himself to leave and he knows exactly when it is time to go. I hope one of these suggestions will work! Let me know what happens.
Liz
To: numbr1bakr@expressmail.com
From: luvmykids@expressmail.com
Subject: Re: episode at Wal-Mart
Hello,
Liz, I am so glad that you wrote me back with the advice. It really helped with Lucas. I took him to Wal-Mart again the other day to see if he would repeat what he had done on the previous trip and sure enough he did. I was hoping it was only a one-time deal. So I tried your advice about counting backwards when we were leaving the movie store yesterday. I kind of sensed that he was getting ready to start screaming so I just bent down and looked him in the eyes and explained what was going to happen. I told him that I was going to count backwards from ten and then that was when it would be time to leave. I made sure that he understood what I was telling him, so he could prepare to leave. I then counted backwards, took his hand, and we left the store in peace and quiet. I hope this will continue to work with him. I cannot thank you enough for the advice. Hope to hear from you soon!
Many Thanks,
Jane