My nightmare child. A rant. Don't need/expect advice.
My son Leo is 6, he turns 7 in 3 mos. He makes us miserable. I am so depressed about it that I regret my life choices.
He doesn't talk, and does not communicate at all. If he's thirsty he won't tell you, same with hunger.
He won't keep clothes on, or a diaper. He poops on the floor and pees in our f*****g vents (this started recently).
We don't have much carpet left as we've replaced it because of him, but we do have some downstairs. He rips it up. He shreds things obsessively - he is obviously OCD as well. Just shreds things. Rips up the padding underneath the carpet and exposes the nails.
His favorite thing to do recently is to take his sibling's drinks and dump them down the vent. He dumps food down there as well. As a result, we have a fruit fly infestation that we are struggling to contain. I would put up traps but he would destroy them.
Everything he can access, he destroys. He rips holes in walls. Rips the wallpaper off. The worst part about his lack of potty training is HE WAS POTTY TRAINED FOR A FEW MONTHS. ARG. He reverted hard at age 3. I got him using a potty at age 2 but then he stopped.
He also loves negative attention. Loves pissing us off to get a reaction from us. He goes after your possessions and breaks them just to see you get mad. If you leave a drink down, he will dump it out on the floor.
He flips out at the smallest of things. Because of him, we have locks on every room and we installed a door in the kitchen and a lock. He flips the f**k out when we kick him out of the kitchen.
Oh and another "fun" habit. He also pees on doors. He likes to pee on doorways and the result is we step in it a lot. Its awful.
I am honestly dealing with severe depression because of him. I take him to the toilet about 1 time every 60-90 minutes and he sits on it and does nothing. Then I'll see him peeing in a vent or on a door like 5 minutes later. I have even stopped him and taken him to toilet and he doesn't go.
I've become do disillusioned with life because the advice we read doesn't offer any help. Here is the typical advice:
1. "Have you tried talking to him?" (UGH WTF DID YOU NOT HEAR ME WHEN I SAID THE DUDE DOES NOT F'KING COMMUNICATE)
2. "Put him in underwear and not diapers so he knows when he pees." (UGH DID YOU NOT HEAR ME I SAID HE RIPS IT OFF LIKE IMMEDIATELY)
3. "Take him to the toilet at a regular schedule." (UGH I HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG ASS TIME AND WHAT I GOT FOR IT SO FAR IS HE FLUSHED A BUNCH OF STUFF DOWN THE TOILET AND CLOGGED IT)
Yes, if I am not careful he will stuff things in the toilet and flush it. He got a box of nails I did not realize was under the sink and flushed it. He tosses whatever he can get his hands onto down the toilet.
Its like he is the most obnoxious person that has ever walked the face of this earth. He's caused 10s of thousands of dollars worth of damage to my house. I absolutely hate that we are left to deal with this ourselves.
Canadian Freedom Lover
Sea Gull
Joined: 16 Dec 2022
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Posts: 222
Location: Vancouver Canada
Have you tried bringing in a professional like a behavioral interventionist? Sounds like you would benefit from some help.
Also maybe connecting with other parents of autistic children either online or in your community may help. Chances are someone has encountered this same issue and figured out a solution to it. It may just be nice to be heard by someone who has gone through similar circumstances also.
I cannot give you any specific advice on what to do as I am not a parent but I hope those two things might help.
Hang in there man, things will get better.
DuckHairback
Veteran
Joined: 27 Jan 2021
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 4,439
Location: Durotriges Territory
Okay. Yeah, this all really sucks. And you've asked for no advice so I'll try not to give any.
I can relate a bit. My daughter, who does communicate, had loads of toileting issues. She would habitually piss on the floor, often a foot or two in front of the toilet. She'd also wipe her bum on random things rather than use paper. Clothes, towels, even her own soft toys. Even that was infuriating so I feel for what you're going through. She still won't flush a toilet after using it, leaves her soiled toilet paper all over bathroom at 10 years old and will indulge in all sorts of subterfuge to avoid washing her hands after. Even though she hates getting sick and understands the link between hygiene and health.
I feel like I have to say this though.
That kid is reliant on you. I hope this is just a frustrated rant and you aren't constantly in this mindset of him being your antagonist. It's a very damaging place to be as a parent, to both of you.
So my advice, though you didn't want it, is to get yourself sorted out first. You can't help your kid if you're feeling this way. If you're feeling negatively towards him all the time, it's going to be hard for you to give him positive attention, and then he'll just opt for the negative attention he knows works. And the cycle continues.
Sorting yourself out might mean getting assistance as Canadian Freedom Lover suggested. It might mean getting some therapy for yourself so you can talk about his behaviour and how it affects you in a judgement-free space.
Part of parenting, I think, is learning when to put yourself first so that you can then be the best parent you can be. There's nothing wrong with that.
Sorry, i failed not to give advice. But anyway I hope you can find a way forward and come to see your son in a more positive way.
_________________
It's dark. Is it always this dark?
Also maybe connecting with other parents of autistic children either online or in your community may help. Chances are someone has encountered this same issue and figured out a solution to it. It may just be nice to be heard by someone who has gone through similar circumstances also.
I cannot give you any specific advice on what to do as I am not a parent but I hope those two things might help.
Hang in there man, things will get better.
Thanks yeah we are going to move in a few months and there is a light at the end of the tunnel there. Next house - the vents in his room will be in the ceiling because it will be a 1st floor room. That will cut back on that. We will ensure no carpets. Doors and locks on everything.
And yes... I am insisting on doing something different. My wife is against ABA. I am of the opinion of "what we are doing is not working."
I can relate a bit. My daughter, who does communicate, had loads of toileting issues. She would habitually piss on the floor, often a foot or two in front of the toilet. She'd also wipe her bum on random things rather than use paper. Clothes, towels, even her own soft toys. Even that was infuriating so I feel for what you're going through. She still won't flush a toilet after using it, leaves her soiled toilet paper all over bathroom at 10 years old and will indulge in all sorts of subterfuge to avoid washing her hands after. Even though she hates getting sick and understands the link between hygiene and health.
I feel like I have to say this though.
That kid is reliant on you. I hope this is just a frustrated rant and you aren't constantly in this mindset of him being your antagonist. It's a very damaging place to be as a parent, to both of you.
So my advice, though you didn't want it, is to get yourself sorted out first. You can't help your kid if you're feeling this way. If you're feeling negatively towards him all the time, it's going to be hard for you to give him positive attention, and then he'll just opt for the negative attention he knows works. And the cycle continues.
Sorting yourself out might mean getting assistance as Canadian Freedom Lover suggested. It might mean getting some therapy for yourself so you can talk about his behaviour and how it affects you in a judgement-free space.
Part of parenting, I think, is learning when to put yourself first so that you can then be the best parent you can be. There's nothing wrong with that.
Sorry, i failed not to give advice. But anyway I hope you can find a way forward and come to see your son in a more positive way.
No its ok about advice, but even just telling your story is a HUGE benefit. It is just nice to know others out there exist because nearly everyone else seems to act like its out fault as parents.
That part really sucks.
Seriously though that sounds really rough on the whole family
Come here and rant and say what ever you need to say
No judgement
I appreciate it. Today has actually been an "up" day. So, there is that. We have a plan in place to improve things, and it involves moving. But yes, I definitely scream into pillows - but sometimes I find they were peed on.
DuckHairback
Veteran
Joined: 27 Jan 2021
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 4,439
Location: Durotriges Territory
omg I really feel for you, what a tough situation.
Try to remember that he's struggling too and is not deliberately making your life difficult. It's possible he is scared of using the toilet. If he feels there is pressure on him to go, he may feel too much anxiety and be unable. Then, after you've given up and left him alone, it all comes out.
Is it possible for you to take time off from normal life just to concentrate on him for a few weeks? To see if it might be possible to be there for him intensively and generate a bond? It might pay off down the track, if that's possible.
Also I wonder of there is a medical issue that's making his behaviour worse? Or gut issues, perhaps? What does he eat?
Maybe you could try makeing a door(way) in a bath (or something lower and smaller that can contain fluid) for him to piss against.
If it becomes the place he usually pisses against you could slowly and gradually make the door(way) smaller and/ or change it into something that resembles a toilet or a urinoir more and more, or just takes less space.
If it becomes the place he usually pisses against you could slowly and gradually make the door(way) smaller and/ or change it into something that resembles a toilet or a urinoir more and more, or just takes less space.
We would have to be there to empty it constantly or he would dump it out. At this point its just.. give up for now. We are moving soon.
You need an additional adult in the household to help you, and/or you need to take him to a doctor and put him on medication of some sort.
Keep in mind that autism is WAY overdiagnosed. He does sound autistic, with the being non-verbal and all, but there could be something else going on, or it could not be autism at all.
My son has ADHD and it took us years to be taken seriously. Thankfully we do not have other children. He is now on an adult's dose of Vyvanse in the morning, adderall in the afternoon, and he takes some allergy medication to quiet his emotions. We found out the hard way that he's one of these people who can't take antidepressants or antipsychotics at all. But I have seen other people who had a Mr. Hyde reaction into normalcy after antidepressants or antipsychotics. You just have to get the right doctor to help you. You can't do it all alone.
You are at an immediate risk of some accident happening in this environment and either you and your husband splitting up and leaving one of you to deal with this chaos alone, or for someone to get seriously hurt. There is no way you guys can take care of yourself, each other, your other children, or your special needs son with him acting like that. We understand here.
Have you ever tried to mirror your child's behaviour? Note the reaction.
So for whole day act like him, sit and shredded papers, throw things on floor,
If he reacts then you kind know from him how to react back. Sometimes in life when we totally stop caring, we find solution in darkest of times.
Over the years I painted every time we moved, and fixed whatever was broken.
I'm so tired of it, my post on other forum was replied to by single males - not helpful.
My son has poor impulse control so I'm battling at his age to get him to follow Candida detox in hope that it tones down symptoms, he walk through door eating muffins or chocolate. Oh boy, was on phone to doctor and about put him on meds, got over it. Up days, down days. He's teen now, so I've silently soaked up lost deposits over years, my arthritis means I can't wash dirty walls, anymore.
Went through stage of fixing together, so bought window and putty and seemed for while to help a bit, but I can't get him to put biscuit and sweet wrappers in bin, years later lay on the floor....
And neighbours, they've heard me tell and I am embarassed walking outside sometimes.
RDI is alternative to aba, supposed to be more compassionate. Seems of 100% I put in, I get 5% reward back ND it's difficult at times to keep positive, or pretend I'm not upset.
Then replace toilet seat, when we move as it's got stains..... Ye, it all gets to me. Then when younger I'd have to check daily and wipe small poo stains that got on wall near toilet roll. Some bathrooms weren't enamel paint so every 6 months I'd have to paint, couldn't keep up anymore.
One time I didn't have deposit to move and landlord gave me a bad reference,
Ah, yes, list goes on.....
Cupboard doors that slammed and came off.....needed fixing, chipped veneer?
My carpet cleaning expertise:
Can remove Preston that's ingrained. Use hard brush and vinegar.
Tried various stain removers, no help.
Wet carpet with wash powder used hard broom to scrub whole carpet. Then towel dried and after 3 days smell of damp faded, but stains back within 2 months.
Im expert at unblocking drains and things flushed down toilet.
Had a ding on bath, luckily already had ding so lawyer said we only pay 1/3 of price to revarnish as opposed to whole price owner tried charge for.
Had floor flooded, splashing in bath, water flowing down passage ????????
As years went by I had messiest house, by far. Everytime I got suprise visit, I got hairy eyeballs.
Patches on outside grass, watering, planting seeds to grow back.
Dent in bedroom door, from skateboard but looked bad, had to try polyfill, sand completely smooth and many thick coats enamel.
List goes on on on on on
Lol so many things on your list I can relate to! My son has ADHD and is 10. He and my husband are both germaphobes and somehow that results in me being the only one who cleans the messiest rooms. I am physically disabled, so this can be difficult sometimes.
Sometimes I put on that show Hoarders to motivate me as I clean. Somehow seeing another person's unnecessary items helps me to see my own house with fresh eyes and I can tackle it better. I'll realize that what's preventing me from, say, doing the dishes is that a pile of my son's items are in the kitchen and maybe some of them just need to be thrown out rather than sorted. Maybe he doesn't need so many "project" items. Problem solved!
But I get it. It's overwhelming. I wish I could afford a maid. The people across the street from me have no kids or animals but they have a maid once a month. It looks so luxurious.
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