So, this weekend though Wednesday I have just Skeeter to work with. He has become a total brat and is really starting to make me angry. He has taken to throwing theses huge outragious temper tantrums that are just way unnecessary. He starts as soon as you deny him something, even as small as not letting him into the kitchen. The tantrum begins with him screaming and pushing his way to achieve his goal (that which you are keeping him from) and then the kicking, hitting and biting begins.
Usually during one of these tantrums I swiftly pick him up, set him on my lap and hold him. I gently but firmly hold his arms across his chest and put my leg over his two legs as he kicks. He screams in my ears as I calmly ask him to calm down. It usually takes about 10 minutes of this before he has worn himself out enough to calm down. It is really silly and now I am searching the web for advice. A lot of the crap I find is not helpful at all but lets see what people have to say.
First, it is important to understand the nature of two-year-old development. The fact that your son is resisting you is a sign that he feels secure enough in his relationship with you to test it. His job is to see what kind of independence he is capable of at this time.
Great! Just what I wanted to happen. He is so secure that he wants to play a test of wills. Lovely
Make an increased effort to reflect and understand her feelings rather than "fix" any negative expressions. Your daughter will feel your empathy when you respond to a crying spell by mirroring her feelings when they occur: For example, "... You are frustrated...yes that shoe is hard to tie..". Sometimes our lives become so scheduled and hectic that we forget to slow down enough to make room for feelings. Reflecting your child's "negative" feelings will soothe her. She will feel understood. And she will learn inner patience from your patient treatment.
Umm�. Firstly Skeeter would have to talk a little better and still I think that this tactic is a little weak.
Sure, temper tantrums are an inevitable part of childhood, and the methods that calm a fit are often tailor-made for each child's personality. With a little creativity and a lot of trial and error, moms and dads are tackling the temper tantrum routine with lots of love and a serious sense of humor.
Duh! Thanks for the non-advice.
Well, I am actually going to spend some of my time this weekend doing this: Detox Weekend. I think I need it and with just Skeeter to watch over it should not be too difficult to achieve. I am done at work a little early today so I can stop by the store to pick some things up to prepare. I hope it will help me study better and in general feel better.
I hope you all have a nice weekend too. Love ya!