8 year old hoarder!!!!

[autumngirl714]

I'm after some advice as I'm struggling with my 8 year olds behaviour atm :(
For context - I'm a single mum but he does see his dad, he has a little brother and he's not in the spectrum. He loves school and is doing really well.

DS is an absolute hoarder. He won't get rid of ANYTHING and his behaviour around his things is so difficult, maybe even controlling.

He's always been a pain at tidying up, but since probably Xmas time he's been having major tantrums when it comes to me asking him to put his things away. He will throw stuff about, say mean things or just refuse. A simple 1 minute job with turn into a 1 hour tantrum and argument.

He's always been such a loving little thing. He's never say anything mean to me, but just recently he's been really mean! Telling me to mind my own business, refusing to let me do things like I've his toys or tidy up.

I know I'm painting a really bad picture. I can stress enough how much of a lovely boy he normally is. He's always been respectful and listened and cared. But I'm really struggling. I don't know how to ask a grumpy hoarder to tidy up without it being ww3!!!!!

Has he had a virus recently? And is the hoarding obsessive-compulsive in nature? Sudden development of OCD type things can be a post-viral condition called PANDAs www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/pandas

Does he watch YouTube? Or look at anything online?

That could be influencing his mood / out-bursts…

Google PDA, it’s a type of autism where demands flick a brain switch..

Thank you for the replies!
I had an interesting read on both of those conditions! He is definitely more grumpy when he's been unwell, but he's been fine recently!
Regarding the pda, whilst I definitely felt relate his behaviour to a lot of that, I think it's a bit extreme for him as this behaviour is only about tidying up and not all everyday task. I also do have concerns about autism for him. Thank you for sharing though, very interesting and thought provoking!

I think a big part of this is probably the come down from Xmas and his birthday. He was so excited for both and there was such a build up... it effects us adults so will surely effect the children too?

I just don't know how to manage it. It's been a really tough week :(

My almost ten year old grandson has been having meltdowns since Xmas. A new thing for him. I think he's just in a winter funk. His dad was the same as a child.