5.23.2006

Bad Squid! Bad!

Supervisor M gave me the gentlest, kindest, and most logical bitchslap possible for alphadogging Leelo. She says that even though he acted like he didn't like it, it is still the kind of intense attention he craves, especially if I turned away from him when it was over. I assured her that, once he acknowledged that yanking my hair out of my skull was unacceptable, I gave him lots of positive, vocal, snuggly attention on the couch. She acknowledged that it probably felt like the right thing to do, but that given Leelo being who he is, what feels right and what actually helps him understand are two very different scenarios.

She also said that, however difficult it may be, I need to try to remember to use positive rather than negative statements with the boy. She likened it to the Far Side cartoon in which the dog listening to a human's voice hears only, "murmurmurmurmurmur GINGER murmurmurmurmurmur GINGER;" she thinks that what Leelo picks up from me saying "NO HAIR PULLING" is "...HAIR PULLING." Fair enough. I'll work on it.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Respectful disagreement encouraged.