Rattling Cages

Okay, I really have no idea what to write about tonight, dear folks of the blog community.  So I will just tell you what he, the autistic wonder boy of the Stogner family, did, and you can read it and say, I'm glad I'm not the only one, or Better you than me, or Why doesn't that woman get off the computer and do something?

Logan likes to push buttons.  Our buttons, to be more precise.  He doesn't do well with changes.  For instance, if someone has been gone all day and then they come home, it sparks a flurry of bad behavior from him.  We call this "no-no mode" in our house..I.E.:  "Logan is in no-no mode".

No-no mode involves lovely activities such as the follow:  banging things against the floor, walls, furniture and windows.  Wetting globs of toilet paper in the sink and throwing them up in the air so they stick to the ceiling.  Climbing on places he's not supposed to climb.  Climbing on mommy's back and saying, "I want to ride showldurrs"  and me saying, "God help me".  Grabbing mommy around the waist and laughing maniacally. Tackling his brother onto the couch.  Chasing his sister into her bedroom.  Being put in time out repeatedly and screeching at the top of his lungs like a bird because he doesn't want to be there.  Five minutes have now gone by.

My mother used to shake her head and say, "I don't know how you do it."  or "What are you going to do?"

Why, go criminally insane, mother.  It's all part of the plan.

Seriously, how do we deal with such behavior?  I will tell you how we try NOT to deal with it:  We try not to lose our cool.  There is a reason why he does this stuff.  He's hungry. He's tired.  His stomach is upset.  He needs attention.  Whatever.  And the only way he knows to get what he needs is to act this way.  It's like someone turning cartwheels and saying, "Look at ME!  Look AT ME!!!!"  That's what he's doing.  He's rattling our cages and if we roar and take a swipe at him, so what, he got something from it.  Who cares if it was good or bad, is his philosophy.  

It works the best to stay calm, and be patient.  Do we always do this?  No.  We are not computers running a program.  We get tired, we get impatient, and we get really, really tired of having the furniture pounded on and being climbed on.  Is it better than it used to be?  Yes.  Do I think it will continue to improve?  Yes.  And what if it doesn't?  I can always take my friend Caroline's route and say, "Give me a *&(*(*g Xanax!"  

Or we could do the Wall of Velcro.  This is my husband's idea.  We will get some military grade Velcro and put it on the wall.  We will then put some on our children's clothing.  When they get annoying, we will stick them on the Wall of Velcro until they can behave.  It's worth considering.