Some interesting new developments at home this weekend, two of them are featured in the photos below:
Another development: Noa agreed to get out of bed in the morning with Daddy (rather than insisting on Mommy.) This is another great development for home life... especially for Mommy's home life!
Noa also did great work at Horsey this week. Last week she really didn't pay attention to directions much (it was windy and she enjoyed that), but this weekend she was more focused.
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Going on a walk in the stroller is one of Noa's favorite events and one she insists on daily (and mourns the loss of when it rains) but the unwillingness to get her out of the stroller at the end of a walk has become a significant and limiting issue for us. These stroller stand-offs can last over an hour, often feature tears, hand-biting, attempts to hit or kick at us, some very animalistic growling. Often Noa will do attempt so do some stretches in the midst of this, though there isn't room to do these stretches in the stroller. She will also do what looks like an ASL sign, though we have no idea what it is. It looks like someone putting on a hat with the letter "c." She seems to be quite convinced it means something, we asked a few folks during Literacy Camp but no one recognized it. As with most Noa meltdowns, her behaviors seem to be more about communicating frustration than communicating a specific need. These stand offs often end with Noa needing hugs with Mommy for quite a while, some time sitting with Mommy, or on Mommy's lap (example of Noa trying to fit on Mommy's lap below.) We had one day this past week in which we got up, had breakfast, went on a walk, had a meltdown and by the time she'd recovered and it was ready for lunch is was after 5pm.
We have tried waiting out these spells. Giving her 5 minutes, then coming back again to see if she'll stand up. On the weekends this works fine, but when Mommy and Daddy also have to work and show up for other people it's a problem, especially if (as in the video above) we've gone walking on a rail trail so we're in a parking lot. We'd be glad for any support on figuring out how to deal with this kind of issue. Though Noa continues to do well during the day, we’ve been using a double diaper at night.
Sometimes Noa will get up for a late night potty break (between 11pm and midnight, but sometime she won’t. And frankly, Mommy and Daddy needed to get some sleep. This is definitely an area where we've lost ground. As you will doubtless discover upon Noa's return to campus, she has regressed considerably in her behavior. Kind of a Terrible Twos Tyranical Teen.
As this has occurred on our watch, it's evident that Jeni and I have not been able to figure out how to work effectively with Noa to on her behavioral issues. We need help! Some of the challenges arise in situations in which she has previously struggled, made progress, and now regressed (i.e. in transitions). Some of the behavior is new and seems age-appropriate in the unpleasant sense (i.e. defiance, getting a kick out of engaging in negative behaviors, like food "falling" on the floor). And of most concern to us, some of the behavior reflects what comes across as the absence of some essential core values (empathy, kindness, care for others). We are especially concerned that this difficulty increases the unrelenting nature of her demands and make it impossible for her to develop and sustain meaningful relationships with peers or caregivers. |
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September 2021
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