Made my day!

[MrsR]

I am so happy! There's a very 'challenging' little boy that lives near me and his sister is a year older than DD (he's a couple of years younger i think) so DD plays quite a lot with her. A lot of the time this little boy hits out and hurts others because he gets left out because he hits and so it goes. So today I asked DD to include everyone in her game (with a couple of other neighbourhood children.) specifically making sure this little boy was included. I decided I should probs go out too and keep an eye on them all as they were in our garden anyway. Anyway this boy (J) comes straight over and starts chatting to me. He has a horrific speech impediment but I let him take his time, figured out what he was saying and actually understood him. Long story short his mum called him home. He left and 5 minutes later came running back in the garden and gave me a massive (if tentative) hug!!!!!! :d I am so so so so happy!!! I can't believe it!!!!!!

 

[Princess81]

Aw bless him, he obviously appreciated you attention

 

[MrsR]

All he gets at home is shouted at (well that's all his mum does in the street on the way to school etc so I can only imagine what goes on at home ) so he probably loved it

 

[Princess81]

Altho in her defence it must be difficult to cope with on a 24/7 basis

 

[MrsR]

Yeah. Unfortunately she does the same to her daughter who is very well behaved. And I don't feel there's need to swear at children

 

[pinkymum]

Awww that's so sweet. I know its just human to lose your rag when kids are playing up but I hate hearing parents swearing at their kids a lot although I'm not a mummy yet I would hope that I wouldn't swear and would rather lock myself in the bathroom for 5 minutes lol. X

 

[MrsR]

Lol x I am still so happy x x

 

[titch]

thats so fab, I work with children with communciation impairments and we see a lot of the hitting out behaviour. They have no way of interacting really, and once they get past 5 or 6 a lot of play is so verbal so they cant join in. They get frustrated, especially if their intelligence is normal theyre perfectly aware of what theyre missing out on.

I wish there were more people like you in the world Helen, a lot of mothers would tell their child to stay away from a boy like that.

 

[MrsR]

Aw thanks Tiny the response from him for just a little bit of attention was astounding ) DD was out in the garden with some friends last weekend and J kept turning the outside tap on so instead of yelling at him I gave him a bucket and some of Seb's boats and he played happily for ages!!!!

 

[titch]

turning taps on is a classic, as well as turning off the tv/radio when people are watching it. Its all about finding ways of interacting without using their (lack of) language skills. Its so true that kids find negative attention better than no attention at all A brilliant game for kids like that is follow my leader where they do actions and everyone has to try and copy, or whats that game called when you have to stand still when the leader looks around and creep up closer when theyre not looking.... well that kind of thing anyway. They love it cos its an equal playfield when language isnt involved.

 

[MrsR]

Ooooh will have to get them playing those i was just determined not to give him the negative attention he was obviously expecting and even looking for and we ended up having a great time