Moms.....I need your help!

[veraletta]

I made up a list of things your son like to do such as:

1. Play out side for one hour

2. Play station for one hour

3. Watch TV for one hour

4. Have a friend come over to play

The point is you need to put a list of things he like to do, my son was older so his list was
About 10 things I doubt you could find 10 things for someone who is 5 years old, plus my son lost thing for the whole week, your son should lose things for a day.

Tell him he will lose something on his list if he doesn’t listen to what you say, if he whines or if he talks back.

You put the list on your refrigerator and tell him every time he doesn’t listen to you, you will mark off something and he will lose it for the day.
You make the list from 1 to 5 putting the best things last, and you will crossed off least stuff first, that way you give him time to change his behavior before he losses the things he really likes.

For the first two times my son lost everything but he soon realize that I wouldn’t fight with him over it, I would just cross it off and move on without saying a word, if he would follow me and try to talk to me, I would say I will marks something else off unless you leave the room right now, believe me it works.
I once stood by the refrigerator while he tried to reason with me, I just kept marking off one thing until about half the items on his list was gone, he got the point really fast.

 

[bumbershoot]

Big huge tantrums AND not being able to concentrate nearly scream food/ingredient intolerance to me.

In my son, if he has anything related to corn syrup, he's gone. Discovered that Dole Whips have corn syrup solids the hard way at Disneyland, discovered that Uncrustables have corn syrup AND high fructose corn syrup the hard way at DCA. If I hadn't had my "aha" moment after DS attacked me physically 20 minutes after having a DumDum, I don't know what we would have done.

Many children also act that way (not all have the violence that my guy has, though, keeping it at inattentiveness etc) with various food dyes, such as Red food dye. That might be a part of DS's problem, but since many food with those dyes also have the cheap sweeteners in them, it's hard to separate them and we're not willing to experiment.

But recently I've been reading on mothering dot com's forums that dairy and gluten can have the same behavioural effects! I thought that was pretty wild, but just like when we took out the corn syrup, corn syrup solids, and HFCS from DS's diet, when they take those out of their kid's diets the nasty behaviour stopped.

Finding out if those things cause the problem and then changing a child's diet is hard, but it's better than drugs, IMO!

 

[Nicolepa]

I agree with emptying his room and sending him there. I did that when my daughter was 5 and it worked like a charm. Now I just have to hint that I may do it and she's straight as an arrow (she 8 now).

Also as for the bus. I would have taken him off, but I would NOT have driven him to school. The rule in our house is if you miss the bus because of something you did you will stay home and help me with my chores (and man I have a lot that day). Mop the floor by hand, scrub the bathroom tubs/showers. You name it. After having to drive my daughter to school one to many times because she missed the bus I put this into effect. I have never had to use it, because she knows I'm serious.

 

[lukenick1]

Thank you to all that have offered your opinion. I think I may have made the situation seem far more than it was. My son definitely does NOT have an ADHD problem. I've seen those kinds of behaviors from kids and he definitely is not like that at all. For the most part he is the sweetest, loving, caring little boy who is not selfish or aggressive. The whole argument that day was because he wanted another waffle. Seeing I had no more he was angry and definitely over tired. Then the fact that his brother had goldfish and he didn't just put him over the edge. He threw a whopper of a tantrum that day but it definitely doesn't mean there's something wrong with him. We all have bad days don't we?? As far as his behavior at school, he is basically testing the waters and adjusting. He is being the "class clown" and thats it. Every class has one right?? As I go back and read my OP it does defnitely sound worse than it is. LOL Basically what I needed was to vent and ask what you would have done in a tantrum situation. Since then I have not had any issue with him and am just hoping it was just another bump in the road.
I did use the "you will walk to school threat" (which I love!!!). If he decides to not get on the bus again I will definitely be using that one! I am also planning on emptying his room when needed.
Thanks again for all the tips!