Wish you could have seen us last night between 7pm and about 7.15pm - I'm so sick of being kicked in the tummy by thrashing boy when I change his nappy, so last night I said to him "Nappy time" and the tantrum started. I said "Do you want some booby?" he would nod and come over to me and I'd say "OK, you need your night nappy first then booby. Lie still for nappy change and then you can have booby" and tantrum!
Thanks ladies, it's nice to know it's not just my DD who has started acting like this. Consistency sounds like a good approach, I really want to read the books, make a plan and get DH and I on the same page asap.
My little girl is (hopefully) getting to the end at 2 1/2 years old, but with a 9 month old, it's not far before the litle guy starts his fight with toddlerhood - EVERYONE deal with them. You are NOT alone! We use lots of different techniques/methods, whatever you want to call them. Sometimes they have worked, and other times they don't. But the good news is that 'this too shall pass'. If you are giving them what you want to the detrement of what you need/want to do, then it's worth trying a different approach. I found ignoring the behaviour the best way initially, and praising the good behaviour made a difference. It's often trial and error, but soft parenting (gentle, creating compromises) for us needs to be also complemented with hard parenting (being tough and firm) - the tough part is working out which one to use at what time.
Oh I hear you! TBH I found the time between 18 months and 2 years the hardest, I think mainly because I was learning how to cope with tantrums IYKWIM? I still get them (DS is 2.5), and probably more of them, but now that I know how to best manage DS when he is having one, they aren't as overhwhelming and don't last nearly as long.
I highly recommend Toddler Tactics by Pinky McKay to get you through this. She does a brilliant job of explaining how they're minds are developing and why certain behaviours result. It gives you the understanding and the tools to best help your LO through these moments.
With my DS, I've found that 9/10 ignoring him doesn't get the best result. Picking him up and giving him a cuddle while we resolve what it is he wants, or discuss why he can't have/do what it is he wants gets it over and done with quickly. But there is still the odd occassion where he just wants to throw a tantrum (hey, I can understand, I have days like that too LOL). When this is the case the best thing I can do is leave him to it. I come back every couple of minutes and ask if he needs a cuddle, until we finally reach the end of it.
I read a great article once which has stuck with me - it's key theme being tantrums aren't acts of defiance, they're acts of distress. For me it helps to remember this when I feel like I'm getting overwhelmed. Anyway, here is the link Seeing Tantrums as Distress, Not Defiance - NYTimes.com
GL, we all go through it. What works for one child won't necessarily work for another, they're all different. But it does get easier and you will find the best way to work through it with your LO.
Managed to order a heap of the books from the library but the one called "What every parent needs to know" wasn't available. I checked Ebay and someone is selling it for $132 buy it now!! There's another one there much cheaper but I'm going to read the library books first and then see if I still want the other ones. It's a pain as WEPNTK seems a bit scientific and more my type of book. At this stage though - any information is good information!!
DS is 16 months and is starting in some of this behaviour. He gets very frustrated very quickly, screams and usually bites his hand or something close by - so far objects not people thankfully. He's not got any words yet and doesn't respond to our questions indicating yes or no so it's a bit of guess work to be done as to what's bothering him. Given he's only 16 months I am a little concerned about what's ahead. He was such an easy, happy person until about a month ago when this all started. It's as if he's making up for lost time.
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