An Inevitable Part of Toddlerhood!
Feb 06 '00
My second kid was our temper tantruming champion. When he was only 18mo, he had perfected them to often last three of four HOURS!!! This was rather stressful to say the least :-) And there was literally nothing that worked, apart from just letting it run its course, until it was over.
All the other kids have thrown their share of tantrums too, but none of them as extreme as the second. My basic strategy is to make sure the kid is safe, ignore the tantrum and be ready for a hug if they need it after it is over. Also, I never give in to the demand which is lying behind the temper tantrum. I don't think there is anything that can be done to totally avoid all temper tantrums, they seem to be an inevitable part of toddlerhood. I think being a toddler and feeling that you are never allowed to do anything fun like climbing on top of the computer and throwing toys at your sister just is frustrating!
I have found that there are ways to somewhat decrease the frequency though. Temper tantrums are less likely to happen when the kid is well rested, well fed and doing something he/she likes to do. They are more likely to happen if I take them grocery shopping in the end of the afternoon, when tempers are flaring a lot anyway. So if I need to run errands, I try to plan them in the morning, when everybody is still feeling good and the shopping trip will be fun (most of the time). Of course, sometimes that doesn't work out, and I have to do it late in the afternoon anyway. Then I try to make sure that they at least have eaten just before we go, so the chance on them tantruming is less. But I still have had more than my fair share of having to carry a kicking and screaming toddler under my arm in the grocery store, while simultaneously carrying the baby in a sling and trying to maneuver the cart :-)
When I get tired of the temper tantrums in my house (2 toddlers at the moment), I sometimes put myself in time out, taking just the baby with me and taking a break in my bed room for a while, until things have calmed down. It doesn't really make the temper tantrums over sooner, but it helps me to cope better.
And of course, there is always the parenting mantra to mumble under your breath, when your kid is throwing yet another tantrum in the middle of the mall... 'This will pass, this will pass, this too will pass!' I personally have been known to add 'Please, let it pass soon!!!!!!' :-)
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Epinions.com ID:
nursing3
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Member: Karen Plomp
Location: New Hampshire
Reviews written: 62
Trusted by: 39 members
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