The Meltdown at Target

I took the three kids to Target to get more Resolve carpet cleaner (for our poor couch that keeps falling victim to Nikko's smear accidents) and more Shout stain remover (for the bloody noses Nikko keeps having overnight). I decided to venture into the toy section because I wanted to get Ronin a basic plastic ice cream toy set to quell his new obsession from a TV show. I found one, the Circo brand, and Ronin was thrilled carrying it around. I got a toy car for Nikko because he didn't have any toy, and Audrey got a stuffed animal. Nikko walked down some aisles and then he came running at me with a box of Hungry Hungry Hippo. We've seen this at a friend's house before and on, so I told Nikko we could get it and I put it at the bottom rack under the cart. Nikko grabbed it again and shoved it at me, meaning he wanted to open it NOW. I told him we'd open it at home and that's when the meltdown erupted. He was screaming and stomping and I tried to be calm and ignore his furious spinning. I even thought we could get a few grocery items but Nikko's high-pitched screams were getting louder and he started pushing me as well as the cart, so I decided it was time to go. I remained focused on walking to a lane and didn't look at a single person's face, but cringed just a little bit because how could you NOT hear Nikko and wonder why the kid was screaming bloody murder? I put our things on the conveyor belt and took Ronin's ice cream toy set momentarily. When they swiped it, something on the register said, "DO NOT SELL. RECALL ITEM." A manager came and told me they couldn't sell it to me. I stared at them blankly and said, "Ooooh great. You realize we're going to have another kid melting down in a few seconds, right?" And sure enough, the second Ronin realized he wasn't getting his ice cream toy back, he erupted in high-pitched screams that matched Nikko's. I smiled weakly at the fantastic display of Asian head-shaved screamers pulling at me and I wheeled toward the exit. I looked at one lady because I didn't want to run her over and it was an Asian grandma-type who stood staring at us. I stared straight forward again and walked us out. One lady in the parking lot offered her help to me, and I said thank you but they are just mad, and then she said, “I think your other boy’s got your wallet.” Sure enough, Nikko had finally pickpocketed my wallet and was rifling through it for my Costco card. We got to the Pilot and I was loading up the kids with Ronin still screaming and wailing. Nikko had calmed down now that he was in possession of his AND my Costco card. I gave Ronin Nikko’s toy car, which was Wingo from Disney’s Cars, and Ronin stopped crying. I apologized to him about the ice cream toy and it set him off again a few times. As we drove home I think he was able to rationalize me telling him that the ice cream toy was broken. When I took him out of the car seat, he said, “We’re getting new ice cream. But it’s broken. Sorry.” And that was his mantra for an hour. I do feel bad that I had to relinquish that toy. So tomorrow after lunch and before therapy I promise to take them to Meijer to get some kind of ice cream toy again.

Nikko’s school report from OT: Good session – lots of talking. Did lots of heavy work activities first – then worked on card & did puzzles. Labeled many of the animal puzzle pieces!

Jenna also noted that he was very talkative during ABA. He also had a nosebleed so they came upstairs and I had to wash his bloody hands/arms in the sink. His clothes really didn’t get messy, strangely.