@KBMK it does work and it seems weird and simple but it geniunely releases that pent up negative energy. Stress can get us all balled up and frustrated and by doing this exercise we are taking a physical action and it releases and calms down that urge to do something buildup. Our bodies are designed to react so doing this exercise releases that need for action. It helps clear the mind too which is why many who problem solve do so while walking. This is especially good for ADHD because the physical need to move is stronger. And that's why those with ADHD tend to rant and rage more, it's how they relieve that built up stress in themselves.

Often because that urge is stronger in ADHD and they don't know what that means, thats when they slam doors, punch walls, and become active. The fight flight uges are stronger in them than the average individual.
My husband literally HATES it when he is immobilized, he drove the staff at the hospital crazy and they literally had to lock him in his room. When my husband has pent up frustration, he brings it home and slams the door and heads to the kitchen and makes noise with dishes and cleans, that's his way of calming himself down, much like that exercise.

I don't mean to turn this thread back into that focus but I think that part of her brother's problem is not understanding this and it's something he may get triggered by unknowingly. If his son can hear his therapy sessions, he is absorbing and he has no way to fix it so he is building up pent up frustrations. And that means he gets these urges to experience some kind of motion for a release and if he can't have that he gets worse. And with his son going back and forth from one upset parent to another, his frustrations keep building inside of him and he has no place to get active to relieve it.

This has affected her nephew's sense of well being, he is absorbing too much and then he gets punished in ways that only immobilize him even more. That doesn't work for this type of individual. And now the one place he escaped to and probably got comforting was his girlfriend and now that is being taken away from him as well. It's no wonder his grades are dropping. And what's the punishment? Immobalization and that's only going to make it worse for him. If her brother is worried about his son leaving at 18? It's most likely exactly what he will do. And her brother better PRAY his son doesn't gravitate to drinking with friends, that's going to become something that will become an even bigger problem.

It can be hard to stand outside and see the dysfunction, and even as seesaw mentioned having the urge to say "hey, this is what you signed up for when you became a parent". However, a lot of parents genuinely miss important things and they only think they are parenting but in reality they are not parenting the child that struggles with adhd or whatever correctly.

All my childhood and into my teen years I saw my older brother abused and punished and I KNEW he needed HELP and was not a bad child. I literally prayed constantly for someone to see what he needed and step in and help him. What I was praying for was an advocate however, at that time that did not exist for children like my brother who had severe adhd. He was treated like he was stupid, however, I know if he was tested by today's standards they would have discovered he actually had genuis level IQ.

Parenting isn't about getting children to obey and live according to what a parent decides. Parenting is paying attention to your child and parenting them according to how they best function and helping them learn about themselves so they can develop their own healthy identity.

seesaw is paying attention, noticed how her nephew responded to medication, how he got so frustrated he started to cut. That's a red flag that the medication is NOT working, but instead is probably working against him. The answer was definitely NOT to increase the medication, more than likely it's not helping and making it worse.

This pandemic is immobilizing and for children and teens like her nephew, that is going to have a very negative affect. There is NO or very little motion, no going from one classroom to the next, no walking the school halls, no socializing, no sports or other physical outlets. The campuses are being restricted, so there is no walking and interacting on campuses. There is only just so much our youth can handle remotely with no true way of being active. Add to that how they are often exposed to their parents having relationship problems? Parents that are too distracted by their own relationship issues that most social interactions are NEGATIVE?

Well, at least the dog helped a little because of it's motion and ability to be receptive. But that's not enough in this situation, these boys need a release that is being ignored.