Kids Are Like Wine, They Get Even Better With Age

Tantrums!!!!

I'm at a loss for words here! How are you curbing your toddlers tantrums?

Hadley will be happy one minute and if something doesn't go exactly her way she throws a fit. A crying, screaming, lay down on the floor fit! She knows *some* signs and *some* words, but not enough to get her point across apparently. What would the Whine Club do? WWtWCD? :)

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Permalink Reply by susannah on June 11, 2009 at 6:20pm: sigh. where do they learn these tantrums? ben started throwing little fits just after a year or so. at 18 months, all i can say is some days are better than others...
sometimes i leave him alone to get it all out but then there are other times that i will pick him up (you know what i mean here--there is a difference between them, i think)....and talk him through it explaining whatever is going on...who knows if that works...

things that sometimes work for us--distractions (help them find a new toy/book/thing to do), talking through an activity like after 5 more pushes on the swing we are getting down (and then i count to 5), and trying to avoid them when you know they will meltdown (for us this is coming inside after playing in the sandbox or with the garden hose) i try to scoop ben up and swing him around or bounce or just act silly...or i will try to distract him with the cats inside or a bunny...offer a sippy cup with water...
it's tough...

at our 18 month check up, our doc told me it was appropriate to start 'time-outs'. you know, for like 30 seconds or so. i have a friend who when her daughter freaks out for really no reason (she just didn't get her way or something), she will put her in time out and it does work...if ben tries to hit me or is super mean to the cat i will put him down, tell him he needs to make a better choice, and then have him sit for as long as he can (15-30 seconds)...who knows if this is really working or not...

she also recommended touchpoints by brazelton? i have not read it yet...
i know dr sears has a chapter in his baby book too...

i don't know if that helped at all but please know we're in the same boat!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by susannah on June 18, 2009 at 6:07pm: oh one other thing i thought about while trying to get ben to sleep--he seems to have the most tantrums/meltdowns for me. not brian or my mom, but me. it's a little frustrating....especially if i have been gone for an hour or the morning or whatever and as soon as i walk in the door the tears and whining start--and brian will tell me he's been fine the whole time...
argh!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kara on June 20, 2009 at 8:35pm: me too, me too. I'm tired. :-); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Becky on June 24, 2009 at 1:01pm: We do two things...
1. I ignore it. We have foot stomping tantrums and yelling of the word 'crying' and I just calmly tell her to let me know when she is done and go about what I was doing or just sit and wait until it ends. Once she realizes there is no reaction, it seems to end pretty fast.

2. Hugs. Other times I just hold her until it ends. Usually that is if she is overtired - and if there are not too many flailing limbs.

Time-outs do work for some things, but try putting a screaming, kicking toddler in time-out...not pretty.

Someone said it peaks at 18 months and then starts to diminish as they learn more words.

Good luck!!!!; ▶ Reply to This