Jack's Anger

I've touched on this periodically on the blog, but here's an update on Jack's anger stuff.

Since he was born, Jack has had trouble controlling his anger and frustrations. He was colicky for the first few months, and has cycled in and out of it since then. You can SEE him getting angry, and see that he is unable to control it sometimes.

He is trying, he really is. I had a good talk with him the other day about it. I asked him why he doesn't get so mad at school (his teacher said she had never seen the rage we see at home). He said that he gets mad at school but doesn't want to scream or make angry faces because he doesn't want to be embarrassed, so he just keeps it in. I asked if it just feels safer to get it out at home, because he knows he won't be embarrassed, and he said yes.

That's pretty impressive self-control, if you ask me. He's 6.

Anyway, it DOES come out at home. Oh boy, does it. And here's the bad part - it comes out in ways that are pretty self-degrading. He says mean things about himself, and says that he'll hurt himself. HUGE red flag, obviously, although Chuck and I both think he says those things because he knows they are BIG threats and BIG words and that they get our attention - and my attention in particular. He hasn't ever hurt himself, but I refuse to test that theory.

So today we took him to see his pediatrician to talk about it. I was so proud of him. He spoke very eloquently about it and answered all of her questions. What a sweetie.

We're going to see a therapist out of the same offices that works with kids. We're also probably going to call this other clinic that does more integrative approaches to pediatric psychology. That sounds awesome to me.

I feel like we're being proactive, which is good. I just want my sweet boy to be calm and happy. That's all.