Help with behaviour problem - inspiration required

Hello! mum to a 7 yr old high functioning autistic bundle of joy (most of the time!) little boy.  We have our issues from time to time but for the moment are bumbling along fairly well.  But this week he has returned to his (special) school after the Easter break and his behaviour has taken a new turn - he keeps throwing stones and/or sand.

 Each day there has been some incident - out on a picnic, throwing stones (at other kids and teachers), out in the park,yep - found a stone and chucked it and twice in our garden - big stone chucked it against the neighbours brand new house wall.  Lovely neighbour but even she has her limits.  

So for the most part we are all about reinforcing positive behaviours but this is really tricky as it just seems such an unacceptable/potentially dangerous thing to do (No one hurt yet but only a matter of time.)  Do I discipline him? I mean I obviously give him the cross "do not throw stones" grump but it seems so ineffectual. I actually know that this is a phase and that in 3 or 4 months' time, it will have passed - but this isn't something I can turn a blind eye to for 3 or 4 months - which is my usual style with less obtrusive/dangerous behaviours.        

Inspiration will be most gratefully received.

Parents
  • not stupid at all. Yes we have explained it to him - but now you mention it the explanation is usually tied up in "the consequence" to the action - eg. Yesterday he threw a stone at the park which narrowly missed another kid (lucky he is not a good shot) so we left the park. yes I did explain that it is dangerous, it could hurt someone but I should have realised that he is so hooked on the consequence - having to leave the park ("go back to The park, go back to the park" on a continuous loop for 10 mins)  that its not a good time to explain. I will try discussing it in a calm moment and totally outside of any incident.  So thanks for that.

    One thing that is against an explanation having a huge effect is that he generally does not understand cause and effect too well on an emotional level - for example I trip over at home and stubb my toe and cry out "OW" and he laughs even though I ask him what must I be feeling and he can accurately answer "that hurt".  

Reply
  • not stupid at all. Yes we have explained it to him - but now you mention it the explanation is usually tied up in "the consequence" to the action - eg. Yesterday he threw a stone at the park which narrowly missed another kid (lucky he is not a good shot) so we left the park. yes I did explain that it is dangerous, it could hurt someone but I should have realised that he is so hooked on the consequence - having to leave the park ("go back to The park, go back to the park" on a continuous loop for 10 mins)  that its not a good time to explain. I will try discussing it in a calm moment and totally outside of any incident.  So thanks for that.

    One thing that is against an explanation having a huge effect is that he generally does not understand cause and effect too well on an emotional level - for example I trip over at home and stubb my toe and cry out "OW" and he laughs even though I ask him what must I be feeling and he can accurately answer "that hurt".  

Children
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