Hello all,
I was hoping for a little advise here. One question I am constantly asking myself...Is my little guy being defiant or is this his SPD. For example, last night we were all getting ready for dinner. The one time of day where all of us are together as a family. Wifey made a great meal for her and I and heated up some leftover pizza for the kids. We thought....alright a dinner without complaints in that my little guy likes plain cheese pizza. WRONG!!!

He asked for a cookie about 15 minutes before dinner...I told him....OK...one small cookie before dinner....but you have to eat your dinner. "OK Dad" he says. My wife laughed and obviously knew I opened pandoras box.

Dinner is on and ready...I call the kids in and he doesn't want to eat pizza. He wants cookies...I tell him no...but if he eats his dinner he can have a cookie after dinner. He then says....No I want just one cookie now. I reply...."after dinner pal if you eat your dinnner." He then begins to repeat himself to us....just one cookie...just one cookie..etc...etc.

I then get down on his level and tell him he has to sit at the table with us and eat dinner. He says...."I will eat pizza in the playroom." uhjhhhh....thats a big no from me. I tell him he has to eat with the family. He then tries to pull his plate off th e table to take into the play room. I kindly tell him no and push it aside.

He begins to meltdown and I take him into the other room to calm down. Once he calms down he comes to the table and tries to get his plate to take into the play room. I kindly tell him no..he then begins to throw a fit. I carry him up to his room and we sit in there while he calms down. I gave him the option to sit at the table and eat his dinner w the family or go to the playroom and play nice while we eat dinner. He chose the second option and went to the playroom to play quietly.

How can we determine if he is being defiant or it is his SPD? Sometimes it is difficult to tell which is which if this makes any sense. I know he was really tired at the end of the day yesterday and sometimes when he is tired his wick is far shorter.
Thank you for any advice,
Frubsdad