If your child is belligerent, mouthy and downright disobedient, it's time to take a closer look at the reasons why. All children go through times when they just will not obey but the child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is one who will never obey and one who will always push the family's boundaries. The child with ODD is an instigator. He loves to poke and prod and do all the tiny things behind the scenes to get his siblings in trouble. He is the child that challenges everything you say. Most often this child will not have friends.
He may or may not have trouble in the classroom. Many children with this disorder do fine in school but act out at home. This is generally thought to be because the child, understanding at an early age that his behavior is not socially acceptable, can hold it together during class hours but at some point, that child will need release. At home, he feels safe and knows he is loved. There is no longer any need for him to hold it all in. When your child arrives home from school, he will often scream the entire way from the bus to the house. Once inside, the meltdown escalates until you as a parent find yourself wishing he were still at school.
Thus begins the cycle that every parent of ODD children can relate to. You feel you are to blame. You doubt your parenting. You feel guilty for wishing the child had somewhere else to go. You find yourself depleted, angry and unable to cope. Following are a few things you can do to cut down on the meltdowns and take control again.
- Establish a secure and supportive environment. A child with ODD needs to have security. He needs to know that mom and dad will always be there for him. He needs to know that no matter how uncontrollable he becomes, you will still love him. ...
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Author: Mrs. Darling