Well, today didn't go well. At least, it didn't start out well. We got to church and Johnny was refusing to sit with me, instead insisting that he be alone in the back. Since that wasn't going to happen, and he began to scream, I carried him out of the service and into a private room that is usually dedicated for prayer groups. Holding the door shut so he couldn't escape, I spent a good 15 minutes trying to calm him down. He began to get even more upset when he realized that the first song of the service was over and the other kids had removed themselves to the downstairs for Sunday School. He was insistent that he couldn't go down until he experienced one song in the sanctuary as well, but when I suggested that I take him back into the service with me for a song before escorting him to class, he freaked out even more because the other kids had already left. Finally when I got him to calm down, we went into the service long enough to grab Steve (because Johnny needed his daddy) and head back out of the room.
Johnny continued to freak out for a little while longer, but we finally got him to agree to go downstairs to see what his class was up to. Of course we arrived just as they were finishing their own song, (they're practicing playing the bells and drums for a children's program that is coming up) and Johnny lost it again. HE wanted to play the drums and HE needed to be the only one with a special role and HE didn't get a chance to play. Steve and I had been trying to explain to him all along that he needed to join back in as soon as possible because he was going to miss even more things, but he hadn't believed us. The second missed song of the day just made things all the worse. We were fortunate that one of the women who has been working with the children was nice enough to sit down on the floor with us and have a chat. She explained to Johnny that the next practice is two weeks from today and that he could bring his own drum from home and play it. After he argued with her for a few minutes, we finally got him calmed down. I asked him if he wanted to stay and join the class or go home and relax, because he was obviously having a really rough day and I was a little worried about leaving him with anyone else. He opted to go home.
I sent Steve to pull the car up to the door, but halfway down the hall with the kiddo in my hands, his shoe fell off. The world ended again. He began to freak out, and I told him I would go back for it because there was no way I could make it to the car if I didn't just keep going. He is getting heavy! By the time I got him out the door, he was kicking my shins and hitting me over the head repeatedly. Steve took him to buckle him in his seat and I went back for the trail of things we had left behind by that point: his hat, his coat, and his shoe. Even after I got in the car, Johnny was still flipping out. He wouldn't let us strap him in, and since the harnessed car seat is in my car and there is only a booster seat in Steve's, (the harness ones are seriously like 10x the price and we only use his car every so often, so we didn't invest) we just had to wait him out.
It seemed like we were sitting there forever. He threw himself all over the place, eventually climbed into the front seat, and was messing with the locks and buttons. He insisted we go inside so he could join his class, but there was no way I was taking him back in at that point. Johnny was still beyond hysterical, and we really just needed to go home. When he calmed down enough for me to strap him in, it was about 12:30. The church service had started at 11:15. Once we got him home, we bundled him up in all of his blankets, piling on all of his stuffed animals and turning on a movie to cuddle to. Steve made him some pancakes, (Johnny's ultimate comfort food) and we even let him eat in our bed. While I contemplated the wisdom of doing all of these things and the possibility that they would be seen as a reward for his actions, I did have a conversation about how he had made some really poor choices at church before ever letting him settle in at home. I just know that when I have such a horrible day, all I want is a comfortable place to curl up with tons of blankets and pillows. Johnny was very obviously having a bad bad day.
After all of his relaxation, Johnny seems to have mellowed out. We have seen the reemergence of his behavior a few times, but they have all been short-lived instances and he even ended up eating the dinner he had sworn he wouldn't EVER touch. A bath is all he has left for this evening, and then he will be off to bed. I didn't push the nap issue this afternoon because he did spend so much time relaxing and I really can't afford for him not to sleep well tonight.
Poor little dude. Rough days suck.
Johnny continued to freak out for a little while longer, but we finally got him to agree to go downstairs to see what his class was up to. Of course we arrived just as they were finishing their own song, (they're practicing playing the bells and drums for a children's program that is coming up) and Johnny lost it again. HE wanted to play the drums and HE needed to be the only one with a special role and HE didn't get a chance to play. Steve and I had been trying to explain to him all along that he needed to join back in as soon as possible because he was going to miss even more things, but he hadn't believed us. The second missed song of the day just made things all the worse. We were fortunate that one of the women who has been working with the children was nice enough to sit down on the floor with us and have a chat. She explained to Johnny that the next practice is two weeks from today and that he could bring his own drum from home and play it. After he argued with her for a few minutes, we finally got him calmed down. I asked him if he wanted to stay and join the class or go home and relax, because he was obviously having a really rough day and I was a little worried about leaving him with anyone else. He opted to go home.
I sent Steve to pull the car up to the door, but halfway down the hall with the kiddo in my hands, his shoe fell off. The world ended again. He began to freak out, and I told him I would go back for it because there was no way I could make it to the car if I didn't just keep going. He is getting heavy! By the time I got him out the door, he was kicking my shins and hitting me over the head repeatedly. Steve took him to buckle him in his seat and I went back for the trail of things we had left behind by that point: his hat, his coat, and his shoe. Even after I got in the car, Johnny was still flipping out. He wouldn't let us strap him in, and since the harnessed car seat is in my car and there is only a booster seat in Steve's, (the harness ones are seriously like 10x the price and we only use his car every so often, so we didn't invest) we just had to wait him out.
It seemed like we were sitting there forever. He threw himself all over the place, eventually climbed into the front seat, and was messing with the locks and buttons. He insisted we go inside so he could join his class, but there was no way I was taking him back in at that point. Johnny was still beyond hysterical, and we really just needed to go home. When he calmed down enough for me to strap him in, it was about 12:30. The church service had started at 11:15. Once we got him home, we bundled him up in all of his blankets, piling on all of his stuffed animals and turning on a movie to cuddle to. Steve made him some pancakes, (Johnny's ultimate comfort food) and we even let him eat in our bed. While I contemplated the wisdom of doing all of these things and the possibility that they would be seen as a reward for his actions, I did have a conversation about how he had made some really poor choices at church before ever letting him settle in at home. I just know that when I have such a horrible day, all I want is a comfortable place to curl up with tons of blankets and pillows. Johnny was very obviously having a bad bad day.
After all of his relaxation, Johnny seems to have mellowed out. We have seen the reemergence of his behavior a few times, but they have all been short-lived instances and he even ended up eating the dinner he had sworn he wouldn't EVER touch. A bath is all he has left for this evening, and then he will be off to bed. I didn't push the nap issue this afternoon because he did spend so much time relaxing and I really can't afford for him not to sleep well tonight.
Poor little dude. Rough days suck.
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