Oh. My. Gosh. I thought we had at least 6 more months until the "terrible twos" started. Apparently, Brax is in a hurry to grow up.
He woke up at 7am this morning, after a full 12 hour night's sleep. Yesterday he was especially "talkative" and active, and in a great mood despite having a nasty head cold (still) and trying to cut 2 teeth. But this morning I went in to get him out of bed, and when I laid him down to change is 12 pound diaper, you would have thought his changing table was covered in thumb-tacks. Now, this reaction isn't entirely unusual, as he gets fired up any time he has to sit still for longer than 8 seconds. But usually he has "recovered" by the time I'm done, and is all smiles when we go in to wake Daddy up and watch Sesame Street in our bed. Not this morning! He continued to wail, flail, head-butt, kick, thrash and snot everywhere for the next 30 minutes. At first I tried ignoring him. Then I thought, "Wow, he NEVER does this, maybe something is really wrong..." I picked him and and tried to love on him, that calmed him down for a minute or so. Then he remembered that he was mad and resumed the tantrum. So we made his oatmeal, thinking he was hungry. He managed to eat that thru the sobs, pausing only to open his mouth like a little bird and swallow. He was still crying when he finished his yogurt, so I just held him and walked around. A picture on the wall caught his attention, and the tantrum stopped. It was like he had tripped a breaker on his self-control power system and it took his brain 30 minutes to go and flip the switch back on. So please share with me--When did your child's tantrums start, and what did you do to "correct" the behavior? Obviously, rationalizing with a 16 month old doesn't work, and I feel like spanking/raising our voices would only reinforce the loss of control for both parties involved. What do yall think????
3 comments:
Will was never a fit thrower. His two's manifested themselves in other ways but also started much earlier than 2! Cy's had his temper from day one, although it did get worse when he hit about 15-16 mos. I was/am lost too. We mostly just try to ignore him and let it run its course. Sometimes he calms down rather quickly in isolation, and other times he gives it all he's got. Most people I've talked to (older moms, pediatrician, etc) have said to ignore him when he's doing that and not give him any reinforcement (i.e. attention). I don't have a pack-n-play, but that was recommended as well when he's head-banging. He's mostly grown out of that now, but I was really freaked out by it. How do I protect him from hurting himself without giving him attention? They said to put him in a pack-n-play in another room. Isolation and protection. That's all I now... but know that it's normal and you're not the only one feeling clueless and frustrated.
EEEEEeeeeeeeeek! Those terrible two's. ;) All three of our boys started their fits when they were 18 months old, or so. We'll let ya know when they stop having them. (j/k)
With child one....I controlled!!! Type A, controlling the tantrum thrower!!!!! I wasn't going to be beat by a baby. - I fought long and hard with this strong-willed child. Did it help??? Who knows?
Child 2-easy. not too many fits. Easily manageable; not strong-willed. Thank God...I was still handling child 1!!!!
Child 3...-remake of child 1. Thought they broke the mold..obviously not. Same temper, same strong will. Different approach from parents. #1, I handed him over to his father to deal with. (after all, the father loves ME right?! and the child is like me) 2nd, I realized, finally, after 3 kids, not everything is worth a fight. Learned to give up 'some' control (issues). We were ALL much happier. That's my story...sorry its soooo long. I'm complicated:) Kimj.
I believe these tantrums are the same way we react when we are mad or disturbed only we can yell, shout, throw things if you wish and they cannot. I am telling you now, you walk away. You move them from wherever they are so they dont bang there heads, preferebably into a corner or time out spot and WALK AWAY!Like when they are infants and you have done everything you can through the middle of the night and they just have to "cry it out" Its just like that. Remember every age has its stage! Good luck...I am hitting the terrible twos as well
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