Elizabeth has been having a huge problem with controlling her aggression. She has been hitting her brother and sister and even hitting and biting me! This is NOT my Liz. She is angry and frustrated about feeling sick, having to be poked and prodded and just feeling different than her peers and us. I can understand her anger. She has been seeing a therapist for about two years now. We first started taking her so that she would have someone to talk to about her feelings in regards to her health. Her anger was never this bad, but it maeks sense because she has never felt this sick.
We are working hard to help her manage her feelings and control her lashing out.
I have a sweet, sweet friend, Lori, who suggested a while ago that we get Liz a punching bag. A great idea....that I never followed up on. This morning when I saw Lori and we were talking about Elizabeth (and Kaitlin too. Lori has twins and it is natural for her to worry about the feelings of Lizzie's sister) and she again offered to drop off her punching bag. Lori is H-O-T hot and I felt bad taking away any part of her fitness routine, as she didn't get that bod by just sitting around : )
Flash forward to 3 hours later and I received a call from the school saying that Liz was sick. I rushed to the school and within 30seconds of seeing her, knew Liz was terribly upset and not actually sick. She had worked herself up so much with tears and worry over an incident with some little meanie. Yesterday she had been upset because she said a boy hit her in the stomach because he was angry that she walked through his ball game at recess. I asked why she hadn't told the playground aide and she said she didn't want to tattle. I guess today, in a large group game, the boy was rushing to "be first" and another boy pushed him out of the way. Liz took the opportunity to follow suit and also push the kid. NOT alright, but I know where she was coming from. The mean kid took off to the nurse to have his wounds (a freaking red mark only) cared for and to tell on Liz. It is not at all okay that she used her hands. I know she was so angry and disgusted at the kid that when she saw an opportunity to use a game as a way to lash out at him she took it, but she cannot touch others and I was shocked that she actually did.
Anyway, Lori, already prompted by our earlier conversations about Liz, heard news of this and dropped by with the punching bag! She was so great as she called the kids to the car and in a pow-wow, talked to them on their level. "I know you all are going through a lot lately and I know it can make you feel angry and just want to hit something. So, I am leaving this punching bag with you and when you feel like hitting something or someone you just come outside and KNOCK THE HECK OUT OF THIS!!!"
Isn't that great? You should have seen the look on the girls' faces!
Friends have brought us meals, have sent notes, listened to me as I have vented... and given us something to beat the crap out of.
Thank you, Lori!
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