SS6 with ODD
Hey all,
Just wondering your thoughts and experience in dealing with children with ODD. my SS6 has it, and its been quite the battle let me tell you, and its come along way in the past few months. I'm doing great with the follow through and consistency in his punishments, and I know to him it seems like I am quite strict, but its the only way to get through to him. I do make sure to praise him when he does a good job, but I don't know if my simple head rubs and knuckles telling him hes doing good is enough.
We have three other children as well, ages 2,3 and 4. It just seems like i literally spend most of my time watching him and correcting his every move. Any thoughts on very good approaches at praising / rewarding him, without the other children feeling left out?
I'm just starting to feel guilty because it seems like all I do is punish him, without a real merit of a reward for good behavior.
I have a son with ODD and i
I have a son with ODD and i can feel your pain.
You need a GOOD psychologist familiar with ODD to set up a schedule of rewards and consequences. In the absence of one, BUY this book TODAY!
It was recommended to me on this forum AND it is the BEST book i have read about
kids in my life ( and i have read many).
http://www.amazon.com/The-Defiant-Child-Oppositional-Disorder/dp/0878339639
I practically saw my son looking at me from every page in this book. I read some chapters to him. He is 14 now, and things are not bad overall, but he is not the most easy-going kid around.
If your SS likes praise, i will have him on a system where he earns 5-7 stickers for being good ( not arguing, doing something the 1st time he is asked, remembering to share, etc) and then once he is at his goal, he could earn a VERY highly desirable tangible reward:
whatever he is really into (his bike; 15 min playing his fave computer game, etc).
In my experience, things will get better for a while ( 8-11 year-olds are my faves) and then worse again once puberty hits. It is good to work on your relationship with him now, you need it, so that he does not see you as just the punishment adjuster. Do something fun together as a reward. ODD is hard on the family. But he might grow up and start his own company and be very successful one day!
So good luck! Read the book.
My SS13 got ODD, and many
My SS13 got ODD, and many other issues as well.
Because of this praising for every single thing we ask him to do, last time after brushing his teeth, he came to as and said: Your welcome!
lol.