Experiments!

Oh Samuel!  My son is very stubborn.  It has been a VERY trying time for us over the past couple months.  Samuel is A-MAZ-ING when it comes to Cora.  Loving, sweet, kisses her, picks up her socks when they fall off, let's me know she is crying...basically the best big brother ever.  HOWEVER...he still yearns for the same amount of attention he had before Cora...and when he doesn't get it, well, he takes it out on me and Eric.

 

Samuel has returned to the bad habits of biting, scratching, and pinching.  I was SO thrilled when we worked through those over the past few months...and now they are back in full force!  We know some of it is jealousy, and some is from frustration due to his speech delay...but we also know that he has to stop doing these things...THEY HURT!

 

So, we've tried it all (don't judge!).  We've talked to Samuel over and over and over again why biting/pinching/scratching is mean, how it hurts us.  He nods, agrees, and then the behavior returns fairly quickly.  We've tried time outs, taking toys away, taking away whatever item he is interested in at that moment, putting him away from us (like in the dining room while we are in the living room), we've ignored him, we've spanked (though, I'm obviously doing it wrong...he usually laughs at me!), I've raised my voice, I've used my scary voice, I've threatened, I've followed through...and finally after 2 months, we are slowly seeing improvements!!!

 

One thing I tried was talking to Samuel about reactions.  How he can react differently when mommy is busy with Cora, how instead of biting or pinching he can sit beside me and give me a hug.  Or how he feels frustrated he can show us what he needs or wants, not pinch, and I will react different to his request.  So, I showed Samuel how reactions work with science (because for some reason he gets science...not my genetics!)

 

This was a simple project.  You mix the baking soda and vinegar and it bubbles up like a volcano.  However, we added a couple fun things to it....like green food coloring and glitter to make it really fun!

 

I used a larger container to let Samuel do the experiment by himself!

 

 

I used a smaller water bottle when I did the experiment.

 

 

He loved it!  It was a great way to talk to Samuel in a non-hostile, non-frustrated, and simple way about reacting to different situations...and he seemed to get it!  I've learned I really have to try to think like Samuel does!  My arms and side definitely appreciate less pinching and less scratching!

 

 

By the way, Cora slept through the entire experiment...she wasn't interested in them at all!