judifilksign

Theraputty is a really thick, hard to manipulate relation to play-doh that therapists use to strengthen finger muscles in students who have issues with cutting, writing, special needs, etc.

Sparkle was sent home some of the Theraputty in its container. It was bright green, and she "hid" small dolls, beads, and other things inside it, then dug them out, just as we do at school.

Except Sparkle ate the entire container of Theraputty. I find myself at a loss. This is the kid that flat out refuses to eat the vast majority of anything out there that 's actually edible without a fight, until after a hundred or two hundred power struggles, it becomes okay to eat. So what does she do? Eat plastic green goo. I am bewildered. The stuff smells nasty, and I would have thought in a consistency designed to be repellent.

She's paying for it now, out the other end. I'm hoping that the resultant unpleasantness will in itself be a learning experience. I have tried to make it explicitly more so by holding the empty container in front of her and asking "What happened to the Theraputty?"

"I ate it."

"And why is your poop bright green, and hurts? What is that green poop?"

(Sparkle points at the empty container.)

"Does it hurt?"

(Nods.)

"Will you be doing this again?"

(Shakes her head.)

"We only eat food. Repeat that rule for me. We only eat food."

"I made it into food."

"You - made it into food?"

"Yes. I made a Theraputty hot dog, and I made a theraputty bread, and I made a theraputty apple. My dolls did not eat their food. I ate their food."

"You made pretend food for your dolls?"

"Yes!"

"You must only pretend to eat pretend food, or you will get sick for real, like today."

"Yes. I will pretend to eat pretend food."

And I feel so bad for her ongoing discomfort. Ah, natural consequences, there is no better teacher, really.