Self-imposed

"Brandon, you have ten minutes until you are finished with the computer." 

Immediately he turned red as he buried his face into his hands which were feverishly wiping away tears.  My little emotional boy of seven and a half, always striving to not break down, but having difficulty succeeding, was frustrated.  "But MOOOM, I've worked so hard on this game and I can't save it!"

"Eventually you would have to stop Bub, you can't keep playing the game forever....maybe we need to start limiting your "techno time" until you figure out how to not completely fall apart when it's time to stop playing," I asserted.  More tears, more wiping, more frustration.

He collected himself and slowly shoved the computer away from him and said in a whisper..."I guess I need to be grounded from the computer."

"No, I didn't say you needed to be grounded, just figure it out is all.  Why do you think you should be grounded?"  I asked.

"Because I can't stop having meltdowns when I play."

The next morning as he awoke he sleepily asked, "What day is it today Mom?" 

"Saturday," I replied.

"No I mean, what's the date?"   

"It's the 19th...why do you ask?"

"Two months from now, on the 19th, I'll be able to play the computer again."

I giggled and asked "Two months?  Why so long?"

"That's how long I'll need to stop playing to learn how to not have meltdowns."

"OK, well if you need to make it shorter just let me know...and I'm very proud of you for doing this on your own (more giggles)."

Five minutes later he came down into the kitchen, wrapped up in his Spidey Blanket.  He poked his index finger into the air to make a point and said confidently, "Tomorrow I start!"  And off he went, a renewed sense of self-confidence and another shot at redemption.