Monday, February 11, 2008

Part 2 of The Barf Bowl

(update on this post)

I have received a few baffled comments and emails, wanting more explanation for how this mysterious magic trick works.

I won't assume you read my reply in the comments section, so here is my update.
(I was recently obliquely chastised for making a comment on a post without having read through someone's comment section. I read blogs because I am interested in what a certain author who captured my attention before might have to say again. Not so much what their 245 advice-slinging commenters have to say.)

When I was shown this technique, the therapist/ECI actually held it in front of him as if the bowl would catch the barf. She also acted all like she just didn't care if he threw up or not. So he was thrown OFF completely!
This was a valuable modeling lesson for me to watch - I instantly saw that our reaction had been way too exciting and motivating for him.
The presence of The Bowl makes him (and, apparently, almost every other child who gets offered The Bowl) get so distracted or angry that he doesn't throw up anymore. She said a few kiddos do throw up - but only once or twice in the bowl. When they realize there is not going to be any reaction or clean-up flurry, they generally give up the barfing!! I think she has a 100% success rate.
As far as the color? The bowl does not have to be blue - it can be any bowl, any color. I have found that, for my little puker, it helped to have it be the same bowl each time - because there was no mistake in his mind if I was bringing him snacks or offering him the dreaded barf-bowl.

I don't know why it works so well, but it does.

8 comments:

Cindy said...

That is serious genius. Who would have thunk it?

You are doing a rocking job with Bubbles. And those rolls look AMAZING.

Btw, what is it with these anonymous posters? Especially one who say not nice things? Can they not see the middle finger I point at their comments on my screen??

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

I must also add that a lot of kids will do things for other adults that they won't do for parents. Part of the process is having another authority figure be bored with his puking. But seriously, whatEVER works cuz Eww...

Anonymous said...

That blog you linked us to is hilarious. But maybe she shouldn't have anymore kids, she sounds stressed out!!

BTW, why does the bowl have to be blue?

gwendomama said...

Anon:
you are hilarious. one might even think that you blog!

Anonymous said...

You are an extremely defensive person. Get a grip.

gwendomama said...

wasn't very nice what you said about amy having more kids. you anons are always trollish.

defensive? ME??? What are you SAYING? YOU THINK I AM DEFENSIVE?
why? my kid has as speech delay and throws tantrums and then everyone showers me with parenting advice...why would i be defensive?

besides, what - 3am? you must be on the east coast. actually, your IP shows me that you are from the east coast...hmm...

Anonymous said...

Isn't it great?? The same nonchalant refusal to get invested in the behaviour also works for breath-holding and head-banging.

I had a child in a kindergarten class once who used to bash his head into the wall when he was angry. It got him no end of attention from the other children, and, since he would hit himself hard enough to raise bruises, from me, too.

This was Not.Good.

So I got a gym mat and hung it from some pegs in the cloak room. If he needed to bash his head, I said, he could go do it there. I could see him, but most of the children could not.

With me not fighting it and the audience taken away, he probably only used that gym mat twice.

HA.

Which is why I seriously love that barf bowl.

Anonymous said...

Are people really getting into judging the barf bowl, or for that matter ABA? I would bet that those that are have no or maybe one small child. Your link to the ABA site was so informative. After reading through it (and having raised three kids of my own) I realized that it was just a fancy explination of clear and consistent parenting. Those of you out there questioning the efficacy or the moral outcomes of this type of technique obviously have not spent time in the company of many of today's children. Sometimes I feel like if one of my son's friends doesn't acknowledge my words (or for that matter my existence!)I might just take them in for some ABA assesment. SERIOUSLY people! MOST children today were NEVER taught manners or socially responsible behaviour you could say(ie; please, thank you, may I have _ ...) that actually allow you to function in the adult world to your greatest potential. Good boundries are essential to success in society and in nature. Get a grip. This is why I left the teaching profession. I can only do so much that will invariably get un-done as soon as that child is picked up and brought home. To those of you that think you are doing your kid a favor by letting "Johhny express himself to the fullest" wake up! You are just creating the monster that YOUR kid's teacher thanks god goes home with you instead of her.