Tantrums. We’re so there. Oh, how I wish we could skip this stage of parenting! Can anyone make that happen?
Tantrums are nothing new to us, of course. Being that this is our second child, we know all too well what it’s like to deal with a toddler and tantrums. Even so, it’s hard to actually get through them!
When baby girl was almost 18 months old, the terrible twos hit. And they hit hard. She actually started acting up even before that, but 18 months was probably when it got really bad. Similarly, baby boy has started his tantrums before the 18-month mark. Luckily, though, they’re not as bad as his big sister’s. Let’s hope that doesn’t change.
Back when we dealt with baby girl’s toddler tantrums, most people would provide us with some form of the following advice:
- Ignore it.
- Let her cry.
- Some kids will hit themselves.
- So what if she makes herself throw up, what’s the worst that can happen?
When you’re in the moment, though, it’s very hard to ignore your child banging her head against the wall or crying so hard she vomits. Though baby boy is not doing either of those things – he really just cries and runs around in a circle for a bit – it’s still hard to ignore the crying fit.
The good thing is that we are more prepared this time around and know that if we don’t pay it much mind, he’ll calm down. We also know that he’s truly just frustrated or upset about a situation and cannot communicate that to us. Reminding ourselves of this makes it easier to distract him from the offense or help him calm down faster.
It’s still tough.
One thing we were told back when baby girl’s tantrums got to a very difficult stage, was that we should start formal time-outs. We had already been doing time-outs, but not formally. We weren’t telling her it was a time-out and we also weren’t using a specific chair. Perhaps it’s time to initiate the time-out ritual with baby boy before his tantrums worsen.
Baby girl’s tantrums did eventually get better. We stuck with time-outs and soon enough, we didn’t even need them. I just can’t remember how long it took us to get to that point. I know that baby boy’s tantrum stage will also pass just as hers did. But, I’m already ready for them to be over.
How long did the tantrum stage last for your kids?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Disney Baby. I’ll be joining the Disney Baby blogging team next month, and look forward to sharing these kinds of stories with you over there! Stay tuned for more details!
Photo: Chirag Rathod/Flickr
My daughter is six years old and we are still dealing with
tantrums. Our other two grew out of them by the age of five, so our third child
has been quite a challenge. Several people have told us that her being the baby has a
lot to do with the way she behaves, they say to blame it on the “birth order.”
“Ni que birth order ni que mis pompis”
We have tried the timeouts, ignoring her, and taking things
away. We are at a loss! My hope is that
she will grow out of the tantrums soon.. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
Porque si no, I’m going to become a wine connoisseur rather quickly.
LOL Sorry, your last sentence made me laugh. I know how tough it is and why it feels that way sometimes. I’m sorry all you’ve tried hasn’t worked. Hope she grows out of it soon, too!