Has anyone ever. . . | ADHD Information

Videotaped their kid throwing a fit?

My son (9) had some corrections to make on a report for school.  I let him know three times that it had to be done, and when it had to be done.  When it was time to start he immediately started screaming and said he didn't know he had to do it.   I told him to take a couple minutes to calm down and left the room.  When I came back in five minutes I asked if he was ready.  He was still mad, but told me that it wasn't his fault that he forgets stuff.  I told him I agreed that we all forget stuff, but that he is in complete control of how he reacts when that happens.  He seemed to be calming down, I asked a couple questions about something else to distract him, but then when I asked him to get his papers (and told him exactly where they were) he started screaming again because he wanted me to do it.  He finally got the papers, demanded I read what his teacher noted needed correcting (which I didn't do), then when I asked him what he wanted to start with he demanded that I choose for him! 

When I wouldn't do that (I help him so much with other stuff that I can't see making little decisions for him as well) we had a solid two hours of full- blown, laying on the floor, kicking, screaming, throwing things temper tantrums (from an nearly ten year old, mind you) interspersed with a brief (I mean like 3 minutes) periods of working on his bibliography. 

After over two hours of "working" on it we both had splitting headaches and he had cited his three sources, and now has a huge mess to clean up in his room.  I have to say, I was proud of myself for not losing it, but last night I decided to borrow my in-laws video camera and tape the next episode.  I just wonder what he would think if he could see himself.  It also might be good blackmail footage for down the road.   

Anyone ever videotaped their kid?  Did it have any effect?

 

I've thought about video taping some of Taylor's tantrums just so she can she what it looks like to other people, I've threatned her with it as well, (my bad usually esclates the situation.)  However when it comes down to it, i'm so lost in the moment with her at the time of the tantrum trying to remain "in control and calm" that I never remember to grab the video camera.  If you do it, let me know how it goes, i'm curious..

I figured if I set it up in the corner of the bookshelf I could hit the "on" button without too much trouble, and I can usually see the behavior coming well in advance so I figure it wouldn't be too hard. 

I think it would also be interesting to see if I'm doing things that I'm unaware of that escalates it.  I've gotten really good at not engaging him and being super calm and matter of fact, but I still wonder if there's something else, like body language, that he reacts to. 

My dd used to throw tantrums on the floor like that.  She isn't ADHD, but we went thru a phase (a very LONG phase of that).  I never videotaped her, but one time, when I was at the very end of my rope, I laid down on the floor next to her, and did exactly what she was doing. (NOT my proudest mommy moment hehe!)

I kicked, I screamed, I cried, I beat my hands on the floor - and you know what?  She stopped - cold in her tracks and STARED at me.  She couldn't believe what she was seeing.  When I noticed she stopped, I stopped, sat up and looked at her and said - that is what YOU look like when you do that.  And I got up, and left the room - never another word said about it.

My daughter NEVER threw another tantrum.  Like I said before, NOT my proudest mommy moment, but it was effective.

I have just bought a small digital camera that records for just this. It's one thing us telling the psych. what we go through sometimes and actually seeing it for herself. I think that it's a good idea.

 

I must say.  THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN my proudest moment, if it worked..

I've done that to Will and he just gets madder.

I've taped Will before and it just makes me mad and he starts screaming and threatening to throw my camera away.  Lately, the tantrums are horrible and I'm going to start taping him again, for his sake and to show his dr.

Go for it to show them how others (peers) would view it but do not be insulting with it use it as a learning tool.  Laugh together at  how silly he/she looked and go from there saying lets not be silly looking.  It may show them how it looks when they are calmer is a good time for viewing.

  If we had a camcorder I would but we do not.

I've never videotaped, but I did take photos of my foster sons room once after he had a particularly destructive fit.   Everything was trashed, broken, strewn everywhere.  He was really shocked to see the photos later, even though he actually cleaned up the whole thing himself....  Goes to show they really are totally out of control, and don't realize what they are doing at the time.  Certainly can't be reasoned with,  I've found (in my house at least) it's best to prevent the fits in the first place, but if you can't you just have to let it run it's course and try to keep the damage as low as possible.  

I do think showing him the photos at a calm moment may have helped him stop and think a few times before he got out of control again...

Now that I think about it, he actually didn't have ADD or ADHD, but certainly had ODD and anger issues...

Good Luck.    I've got a ADHD daughter now who is prone to these fits, she'd probably attempt to kill me if she saw me pull out the videocamera, LOL, so probably I can't do it...but it's a good idea.