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Some children are viewed as just plain difficult. They may refuse to wear certain clothes, hate to take baths, hit for no apparent reason, crash into things with a high tolerance for pain, have difficulty transitioning or intolerance to crowds or large family gatherings. Parenting a “difficult child” can be embarassing as well as frustrating, and as frustrations build, temper tantrums can escillate. Children generally don’t misbehave without cause, so look carefully for underlying distress. If your child does show signs of distress with any of our 5 senses, take a closer look to see what his triggers are. Children who hit for no apparent reason can be sensory seeking, just needing to hit something or someone, so provide pressure and sensory input experiences throughout the day by playing drums on the table, jumping or hopping, or finding treasure in a washtub filled with rice. When hiding treasure (crayons, coins, matchbox cars, etc), be aware of item size and choking hazards, as safety always comes first! Digging through a dishpan of rice or beans to find hidden treasure is a calming, soothing activity which can be offered several times throughout each day. Read my syndicated article to learn about other triggers and remediations for temper tantrums in Understanding a child with Sensory Processing Disorder.
Diana Boggia has a masters degree in education with licensure in preschool, elementary and special education. She taught children with multiple disabilities for 15 years and has been working with parents (families) with behavioral concerns for more than 23 years. She develops individualized strategies to build self esteem and diminish negative, attention-seeking behaviors for each child to be successful in achieving remarkable results. Throughout her work with parents Diana has developed a program that includes hands-on materials encompassing limit-setting, developing structure with schedules, teaching time management, increasing listening skills and parenting with incentives, rather than threats. These successful strategies have changed the dynamics of many families who were struggling with their child’s behaviors.
