Any advice when dealing with a child who is easily frustrated?

[rafiki]

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[CherylG]

I have a 13 year old dd that flips out, too. I will be interested in reading the responces you get. I had my dd in a math book and she was literally flipping out everyday.

 

It was actually the too easy part that was flipping her out, but she couldn't communicate that, because she was still getting some wrong and has literally told me she hates not being perfect. "Great, where did that come from?"

 

Anyway, I realized that the book was the worst thing for her because all the graphing was like a dyslexic nightmare. The right and up for postive x and y and the left and down for negative x and y. Pages and pages and pages of graphing and no problem solving. I switched to a more left to right book and there has been complete peace. (for the last two weeks):)

Cheryl

[Tiramisu]

Have you read The Explosive Child? It's not just about kids that explode. It's really about kids who are easily frustrated: low-frustration tolerance. I read it when it was recommended here because I was concerned about one dc who is prone to tantrums, but, in reading it, I also learned that some kids show their frustration more subtly by shutting down and not being able to mentally proceed with whatever they have to do. That fit my other dc who didn't have such obvious, outward signs of frustration. The book is helpful to learn methods to manage life with intense dc.

[rafiki]

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[rafiki]

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[SailorMom]

The key for my son was to discuss it at length when he was not frustrated. Your son is still really young, though - so it may be a while before this helps. It wasn't until DS was about 10 that this really worked.

[TAKlinda]

Frustration is common when students with learning difficulties don't understand things. There are lots of teaching strategies and techniques that are very successful for students with learning problems -- dot patterns, math ladder, decoding words, etc.

 

Linda.

[texasmama]

My oldest son is easily frustrated, though he is not explosive. I watch him for signs that he is becoming overloaded and slow down or take a short break. He is 10 now and his skills in the area of frustration tolerance have improved so much. He also receives OT, which I believe is helping him, as well. Does your son receive any services?

[VBCaroline]

Dd's therapist recently recommended that I send her out on her bike for 10 minutes when I sense the first signs of frustration.

[emilia]

We tried the run around the back yard method but the thing that has worked the best and longest is the Feingold Diet. We are very strict about it and DD asks, "Is this approved?" before eating things...but it has completely and totally changed our lives for the better. She is still frustrated sometimes but fewer times a month (before would have outburst several times per day) and for shorter periods of time per episode.