confusing frustration

Sometimes Maribel displays anger or frustration that seems irrational, but usually can be connected to some type of a communication or social miscue or misunderstanding.  My sitter mentioned that Maribel was on the computer and then went downstairs to play nintendo, but came back a few minutes later and was upset because the sitter was using the computer. She didn’t explain why, just said “hey i need that, don’t use my computer”. It didn’t make sense to me that maribel would be using both the computer and the game system and not sharing the computer. Was she being controlling? Was she accessing something on the computer that she didn’t want the sitter to see? I couldn’t really ask her right away because i wanted to respect the sitter/ belle relationship and not make her think that she was tattled on, but it wasn’t long before she did the same to me. She didn’t want me to touch my computer and she was running back and forth from the basement.  Then i heard her reciting directions and realized that she was using the computer to figure out how to “beat” a game on the game cube so it was frustrating for her when she came back to the computer for the next step and have the screen be changed! Now i just have to explain to her that she needs to make a plan with whoever else needs the computer, communicate clearly, ask nicely and compromise (a skill we’ve been working on and requires a great deal of verbal skills and calmness).

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