2. Hyperbole: The God of Cake
In this chapter, a young child seems obsessed with eating a birthday cake that was made for someone else. First, she hounds her mother for it. When her mom puts it on the fridge, out of her reach, Allie climbs the fridge to get to it. Her mother then places the cake inside the fridge, and places a heavy box in front of the refrigerator door. Allie begins throwing herself against the box in order to move it to access the cake. She throws a tantrum once she arrives at her grandmother's house, and her mom tells her to play outside. Allie begins crying very loudly, right up against the glass. When her mother tells her to play on the side of the house, Allie finds a way into the bedroom where the cake is hidden, and manages to eat the entire cake. Her mother discovers what Allie has done, and then Allie spends the afternoon vomiting cake all over her grandmother's carpet.
From an outsider's perspective, would someone think this child had behavioral or mental health issues? Why or why not? How might this have been handled differently by the adults? Post an answer to these questions, and one reply.
I believe that someone would think that this child had behavioral issues not mental health issues. I believe this because many people think that if a child acts out it is the parents fault, that the parents haven’t taught the child the difference between right and wrong. That the child most likely gets everything they want, especially since she was acting out in such a way that ended up having her be locked out of the house on the patio, and her finding a way to sneak into the room that was locked with the cake in it. I believe this could of been handled differently by the adults by either explaining to the child that she could have a piece of the cake when everyone else does, or by occupying her with some other type of tasty treat. If that didn’t work then I would tell her that if she doesn’t calm down she would not be getting a slice of cake at all, and if that doesn't work then I would put her in time out, but I wouldn't lock her out of the house for her to “cool down.” She became very combative in a part of the book, and I would of put her in time out but I would not of put her out on the patio and told her that she could come back in once she “regained her composure.” Kids will be kids, but you can’t just lock them out of the house when you don’t want to deal with them.
ReplyDeleteIt's not even that they put her out there to regain her composure, they told her to go play which is unbelievable considering she was punching and yelling! Crazy. Should have been dealt with inside the house with immediate consequences! I agree definitely could have been handle much better.
DeleteYOU: That the child most likely gets everything they want, especially since she was acting out in such a way that ended up having her be locked out of the house on the patio, and her finding a way to sneak into the room that was locked with the cake in it.
DeleteME: I agree with this statement you made. I also think because the cake was locked in a room and Allie knew that she couldn't have the birthday cake, and was also TOLD to stay outside, made her become curious and want to be a rebel. As kids, when you are told not to do something, more often than not, the child is more apt to break the rules and go against what their parents tell them not to do.
I think that she might possibly have some behavioral issues because there are not many four year olds I know that wouldn't accept no for an answer. But then I also think that maybe because of the obsession there might be a mental health issue. Most of it seems like bad parenting, there is no discipline just redirection which doesn't seem to be working. She also purposefully did things she knew would get on her mothers nerves and knew would get her in trouble and it kind of reminds me of my sister who has Oppositional Defiant Disorder which would be a mental health issue. So I am kind of on the fence about which one it is for sure, possibly a little bit of both. The fact that the adults in her life decided she need to go "play" outside so she would stop yelling and punching instead of disciplining her for yelling and punching really just shows that she has too much free range which can lead to defiant behaviors. I think the situation could have been avoided if the adults had been discipline skills and actually kept an eye on her instead of dismissing her actions.
ReplyDeleteI can see why her behavior could be either a mental health issue or a behavioral issue, but to some random person who saw what went on with her, do you think that person would just jump to the conclusion that the child has behavior problems or that she has a mental health issue?
DeleteFrom an outsider's perspective, a person would probably think this child is acting "normal". Most children are learning skills on controlling their urges and they do not know how to say "no", but if this was an adult, the public definitely would think the person has a mental illness. We all start as a child and there are parts of us that never fully develop out of those child traits, but if you can't hide those child traits well enough, you are categorized as being "weird and mentally ill". The child just wants some cake, there is nothing wrong with that. I would do the same exact thing at 22 years old. I think her mom could have explained better about being patient or teaching from skills. The mom merely just kept hiding and putting the cake out of reach which is like a game. And nobody wants to lose at a game. I think Allie was just using her natural instincts with that one.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better myself! If an outsider was walking by the house and saw the child screaming and having a tantrum they wouldn't think anything of the situation. But if they walked by and saw an adult doing the same act then they would automatically think "they must have a mental illness".
DeleteAs children we are taught what "no" means at an early age or parents try to help teach what it means anyway. To have a child screaming and having a tantrum over something they want but can't have would be considered "normal" especially for a kid. But as soon as the situation is no longer with a kid but an adult, then the outsider would be curious and would "judge" that individual. That individual would now be labeled as having a mental illness. I too agree that the mom could have sat her down and simply talked about why having the cake was not a good idea and what might happen. I think Allie was being a kid and doing everything in her power to get her hands on an item that she was not allowed to have. This is something all young kids do when they are told "no".
ReplyDeleteI agree that Allie was acting just like most other kids would have in that situation. Her mom did not explain to her why she couldn't have the cake or the consequences that would result. Allie was being told "no" without much of an explanation and that only made her want the cake more. I too agree, this is a normal reaction for many young kids. The adults definitely could have done more to communicate with Allie and prevent the end result of Allie devouring the whole cake and then getting sick.
DeleteIf I was an outsider and witnessed a child behaving this way I would think that they are behaving like any other child would. I can remember many times when I was a little kid, asking my mom for something in the aisle of the grocery store and throwing a fit when she said "no". I would nag her endlessly the rest of the shopping trip, until she would eventually sometimes cave so I would quiet down and so people would stop looking at us. Children are not fully developed so they certainly have not mastered self-control, a skill that many adults still struggle with on a daily basis. I think the adults could have handled this in a better way than just hiding the cake, saying "no" without much of an explanation, and then sending her away to calm down on her own. The adults should have sat her down and discussed why she couldn't have the cake yet, as well as her inappropriate behavior and the consequences that would result if she didn't behave. Also, the adults could have interacted with her instead of shooing her away and making her entertain herself.
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe that this is a normal behavior for a child. All children act out. For example, go to any store and you'll witness the "screaming/acting out" child. Some would say this would be more behavioral. I feel that instead of the mother constantly telling the child, go play. The child should have been scolded with a timeout and then spoken with. The mother hiding the cake, made the child act out more.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this! I think the mother continuously hiding the cake made it appear to be a game. Not only that, it made the child more interested in the cake because she wanted to find it. If the cake was in the fridge and the child was told no, in a tone the child would know was serious, then it would have been just fine.
DeleteExactly! Why would you continuously play the game w/ your child? Clearly the methods used were not the best.
DeleteI believe Allie’s situation, coming from an outsider's perspective looking at the situation, most people would perceive the situation as if she had a behavior issue, opposed to a mental health issue. I say that because in today’s society, we live in a generation where children and/or teenagers believe that if they do not receive money, a toy, or some type of reward, they did not accomplish a successful goal. Because it was a birthday party, I believe the child acted out of line because either, she wanted her mom to give her what she wanted or she wasn’t getting what she wanted…. All the same, she was told what to do and did not want to comply. Instead, Allie wanted to rebel against what her mother had asked her to do, which was not get into the cake and she did anyways.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult handling the situation, it would have made more sense to think ahead and have someone monitoring the birthday party to distract or occupy the kids. Because the mother showed the daughter the cake, prior to the birthday party, she should have assumed her daughter would have been so persistent at wanting to eat the cake. Kids are going to be kids, therefore I believe this situation was more of the adults “problem” rather than placing blame on the child who doesn’t know any better and just wants to eat cake.