A FRUSTRATION LOCK DOWN

Jacob had a pretty good day at school today.  He only had one page of homework that asked him to label and colour the parts of a flower, so he finished it in a few minutes.  But he also had a bit of an issue today when he came home for lunch.  And the problem was all too familiar.  Change.

It turns out that Jacob's teacher had rearranged some of the students desks in the classroom, and when Jacob saw the change, he wasn't very pleased.  And there was also a specialist in class to observe Jacob as he went about his day, so there was an unfamiliar face watching his every move.  And we all know how kids with asperger's get when change is involved.  My son tends to lash out and yell, so it's no wonder today was rough.

Which brings me to the explanation for the post title.  Today, as we walked home, Jacob explained that because of all the things "wrong" with his class, that he was on a frustration lock down.  I almost started laughing as he explained to me what a frustration lock down was, but I was able to hold back.  Because Jacob hates being laughed at.  It turns out that when Jacob gets so upset that he can't control himself, he willingly puts himself into a lock down.

Do you think I could get him off the lock down?  Not likely.  Jacob explained that a frustration lock down could last a long time.  And that he won't fully be free from the lock down until the classroom goes back to "normal".  It took almost all of his lunch hour to get the lock down to ease.  Then when he came home this afternoon, he was back on the lock down.

I tried to explain that his desk wasn't one of the ones moved, so he shouldn't worry too much about it.  And it seemed to sink in quite well.  Jacob and I agreed that as long as his desk wasn't moved, that a frustration lock down wasn't necessary.  So hopefully tomorrow, he'll be able to have a more pleasant day in school.  That is until he sees that the desks are still in different places.  Which will then lead to another lock down.