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My son has had a very hard time switching his gears. By this I mean, when on iPad or listening to music or on any obsessive activity of his interest, when I try to intervene, stop, or time it, there has been headbanging, throwing of iPad, or hitting. Timers or stopwatches didn’t work as impulsivity works at the speed of velocity of light! How to handle such situations? Had given a warning just 5 mins before the screen time gets over. However, the moment my son hears the word “5 minutes to time out”, the iPad is already on the floor!
I have been thinking for a while to handle my son in such a way that it would have a nice amicable ending. Yureka! One idea flashed in my mind. Why don’t I enter into his world and help him switch context gradually instead of an abrupt context switching? It works!
When on the iPad, listening to rhymes or his favorite songs, I just join him and sing the song that is playing at the moment while slowly getting the iPad from him. Continue to sing the song for the next 2-3 minutes until he shows no more signs of aggression.
The event is over and there are no tantrums or impulsivity! The same can be applied to other activities also. The crux of the strategy is “Get into your child’s world and avoid abrupt Intervention”. I hope this will help some parents in a similar situation. Good luck.
