Babysitting nephews and nieces once in a while is often the best way to help out exhausted parents and give them a little time to themselves. Unfortunately, things can take a turn if the child is unruly or leaves the babysitter injured.
This is exactly what a woman faced when her nephew with autism bit her hand for twenty seconds because he was overstimulated. She demanded that her sister lay down the law for him, and was shocked when nothing was done about it, so she refused to babysit the teen again or attend Christmas.
More info: Mumsnet
Children with autism need time and space to recover when overwhelmed and might lash out in such situations
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that her sister was a single mom with two children, and that her teenage son, who had autism, sometimes got violent and angry
Image credits: IGrewUpInTheFallOut / Mumsnet
One time when the woman was babysitting her nephew, he refused to get off his iPad and go to sleep because he was overwhelmed
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The teen bit the poster’s arm for 20 seconds and screamed at her to leave his room, so she quickly exited his space
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When the woman showed her wound to her sister and told her about the incident, she expected some form of punishment, but her sister merely talked to the teen
Image credits: IGrewUpInTheFallOut
The woman told her sister that she didn’t feel comfortable being around her nephew or attending Christmas due to the lack of discipline
The poster explained that since her sister was a single mother, she often helped her out with babysitting her two children. The older boy had autism and used to act out or get quite angry, which is why his mom had made him attend kickboxing classes to regulate himself, and that helped a lot.
According to research, around 68% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder might engage in aggressive behaviors toward their caregivers. This means that their parents or guardians need to take precautions to protect the individual and themselves from harm, and find a way to ground their overwhelming emotions, just like the mom did.
Experts state that the reason why autistic children and teens might express their emotions through aggressive behaviors can be due to anxiety, stress, overstimulation, and even a change in their routine. It might therefore be hard for them to control their emotions and behavior when they are having this kind of meltdown.
That’s why the poster’s sister warned her that the teen was already overwhelmed and that she just needed to get him to go to bed at a reasonable time. Unfortunately, the OP found it tough to do that because the boy wasn’t willing to let go of his iPad and didn’t want to go to sleep at all.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When the poster tried to get him to go to bed, he ended up biting her hand for twenty seconds without letting go, and then screamed at her to get out of his room. This left the woman fearful, and she also told netizens that since he was a bit taller and bigger than her, she didn’t have enough strength to overpower him.
That’s why she was shocked when her sister only talked to the boy instead of disciplining him. The other woman stated that her son had only lashed out because he was feeling overwhelmed and that he couldn’t help what he had done as a result. This made the OP feel extremely annoyed and like her injuries weren’t being taken seriously.
When autistic children lash out like this, therapists state that parents should try to replace their aggressive behavior with more acceptable and safer options. For example, if an autistic kid is hitting their mom to get her attention, she can teach them to tap her shoulder instead to get the desired result. This can help the children learn better ways of dealing with situations instead of acting out.
In this case, since the poster’s sister was unwilling to punish or discipline her son, the OP decided she didn’t want to be around him anymore or even attend their family Christmas party. Obviously, this didn’t go down well with her mom and sister, who felt that she was making a mountain out of a molehill.
Who do you think is right in this situation, and how would you have handled it if you were in the OP’s place? Do share your thoughts in the comments section.
Folks were divided on the issue, with some taking the woman’s side and others feeling that she had overreacted
