Getting Control

Today Milo had a spectacular tantrum. I can usually attribute these tantrums to either hunger or exhaustion. I fixed him lunch; a ham and cheese sandwich per his request and then he refused to eat it. Telling me he doesn't like sandwiches anymore and also I gave him too many strawberries and he doesn't like lunch since today. He informed me he would rather play, when I explained it was lunch he freaked out and started in screaming at me....

Me: Milo sit down and eat your lunch.
Milo: I don't want lunch. I am not hungry.
Me: Fine I can wrap it up and you can have it after your nap.
Milo: NO! I am not sleepy!
Me: Well you need to rest at least.
Milo: Mom! Mom! I had a nap this morning before I woke up. Please Mom, for reals. I just want to play some more.
Me: Nope, you need to sit down and eat your lunch or head back to your room for a nap.
Milo: Mom you make me have a mad sad day! And you never let me have any fun and you want me to be mad and sad and you never let me do nothing! (This is said with escalating rage)
Me: Okay that is enough. You need to calm down. You will not speak to me like that and if you cannot calm down and apologize there will be consequences.
Milo: Mom! YOU! MAKE! ME! SO! MAD!
Me: Okay buddy.
Finn: (standing beside me, stomped his foot and pointed his finger at Milo) No Bru-wa! No! No!
Me: Finn I can handle this. (trying not to laugh) Milo you have lost your Wii privelages for one day. Now back to your room
Milo: No!
Me: Want to lose it for another day?
Milo: No. (much more subdued)

So I got him back to his room, and lo and behold, despite his protests he was asleep within minutes of laying down. So exhaustion is definitely the reason behind the tantrum. I took him tonight to get shoes for school. In the car I had a little talk with him about his tantrum today and some of his "sass" lately.

Me: Milo we need to talk about your behavior lately, it hasn't been what I expect of you, nor what I know you are capable of.
Milo: I am sorry Mom that I yelled at you.
Me: I know you are honey. But we have to come up with a plan so that we don't have these tantrums. Can you think of things that make me upset?
Milo: Hitting.
Me: Absolutely, hitting is a big one. Anything else?
Milo: Um spitting. You don't like spitting either Mom.
Me: I sure don't.
Milo: And screaming, you really don't like when I yell.
Me: That is correct. I also don't like it when you are mean to your little brother. So what do we need to do to make sure these things don't happen?
Milo: I need to control my body.
Me: (stunned silence. How in the world does he know this?) Um... Yes that is right. Exactly. And how do you control your body?
Milo: Do you want me to tell you? You can't tell anyone, okay?
Me: Sure sure.
Milo: Okay you know how in our bodies there are bones? Well inside the bones are those things like in cars.
Me: In cars? (what? where is he going with this?)
Milo: Yeah like in cars, like wires or water but inside our bones. And it is called particle D and it has hands, but not hands but like hands and it is inside our bones and it helps us control our bodies.
Me: Ohhh, and does everyone have this inside their bones? Even Finn?
Milo: Yes, but you aren't born with it, you get it when you are 4 or 5. Finn is only 2 so he doesn't have it at all, which is why he is always screaming and taking my stuff.
Me: Ohhh. So when you are little you don't have it but when you turn 4 you get it? How do you get it when you are 4?
Milo: Or 5 Mom. When you are 5 you have it too. You get it on your birthday. And then you get the Controllers. They come in a box. They are called the controllers and they are in your body and they help your bones be in control so that you don't get mad or sad or yell and you get to keep your video games.
Me: I see. So what happened today? Where were your particle D controllers?
Milo: Oh they went to a movie and had a snack.
Me: Well that explains everything.