Understanding non-verbal cues is so important with Jonah.

Has this ever happened to you?

Today, Jonah came home dysregulated. He was sitting on my lap just snuggling while watching his show on TV (I was on my phone) when he just slapped me in the face… out of the blue. He continued to slap me until I put him down and stood up, at which point, he looked longingly at me and said (verbally) “Dada, up!” (pick me up).

So I did, and he snuggled right back in to me like nothing happened.

Later, again, while he was sitting on my lap, he started slapping HIMSELF in the face and scripting “NO!” as he did it. He hit me again several times after that as well.

This is NOT typical behaviour for Jonah. He has not “self-harmed” in over a year.

Also, I don’t typically reinforce using “NO” when he hits me as I’ve found it is a really vague direction… (I’ll use “OUCH! We ‘touch soft’ or something of that sort)…

When he hits me at home, it is usually because I am not understanding something he is trying to communicate, or I’m not letting him do something he wants to do. I’m usually able to determine the “why” behind the hitting. This seems different.

There is no APPARENT reason. (There is one, but I just don’t know what it is)…

I have to stop what I’m doing and give him my full, undivided attention.

Because SOMETHING is bothering him. He can’t TELL me what it is. I can only ASSUME that something is going on at school. I’ve contacted his teacher. I pray that he is not directly involved. (I’m hoping he is not ‘being hit’ or ‘hitting’ and he is scripting an interaction between other kids and the teacher)…

Either way, it is adversely affecting him here at home.

I know you guys can relate.

I don’t know what is going on with my son. I just don’t know. And that kills me.

Thanks to Just a minutemy cape is in the dryer for sharing

Original Facebook Post.