So sad, I want to pat the fish

At School they have a little fish tank with a goldfish in it. This morning they told me how the kids have all done really well with it, they take turns feeding it, and they have all gotten past the stage of trying to get the fish out of the tank to hold/look at it.

This afternoon... I turned up to a boy in angst and tears, they said he was upset coz he wasn't allowed to have the fish. He couldn't cope with leaving so we tried to forcibly carry him to the car, he dropped to the ground and lay on the path for a while, then we did pick him up and carry him. We got him to the car but then he couldn't sit in the seat.

After about 3-4 minutes with him collapsed on the floor wringing his fingers and mine, and completely unable to listen, I dragged a seatbelt across him as best I could and went for home. After all it's only 700metres from school.


We got home and he couldn't get out of the car, so I had to forcibly carry him again, though he didn't struggle quite so badly this time. After getting in the gate he wandered around the yard with his hands over his ears for a few moments, then came to the gate and cried "Open, open, open." He really really wanted the fish.

I got him upstairs and into the shower for a bit of relax and desensitize. He's stopped crying, and seems a bit calmer.. I'll see how he is after I get him out, I'm sure he'll be ok in a bit of time, it's just heart-wrenching when he's so upset and there really is not a thing I can do.

This is the biggest meltdown he's had all year, he is tired, he did eat wrong foods on the weekend with the Birthday party he went to, but this is the first time in 6 months where he's lost it so completely. Poor boy, if only he could express what it is that is causing the pain, we could do more about it.