Help! I'm the parent of a tantrum throwing toddler!!

Ay-yi-yi!!! It's beginning.....

Luke is a very good baby overall and I definitely cant complain BUT...he is getting very very assertive. And now he's starting to throw these sort of comical hissy fits. The comical angle is going to wear off real fast and I'm wondering...

How do you handle it?

I mean he's not being bratty or spoiled, I think he just can't express something in words and wants to explore everything and it's getting harder to divert his attention. I knew the diversion method was going to wear thin very soon but I thought I had a few more months.

Tips? Advice?

The dreaded 'laying in the aisle of the store having a fit' is coming soon, I can feel it.

HELP!

I'm almost there with ya, so I cannot give any advice but I can give you lots of support!!

---

Posted by Elizabeth
The dreaded 'laying in the aisle of the store having a fit' is coming soon, I can feel it.

---

I love days like that. My favorite phrase when that happens is 'Do NOT make me be that type of Mommy!!!' you know the one who holds their kid by one arm while her hair is all over the place trying to keep her composure but at this point doesn't care who's around.

Time out seems to work. Patricks time out is in his crib. He is NOT happy when that happens. Try not to laugh even though it CAN be funny. You have to stand your ground.

BE STRONG!!!

Paul has his 'moments' too. But, it's important to keep your 'reaction' to these times in check, b/c they are like Pavlov's dogs at this stage....ANYTHING you do can end up re-inforcing this annoying behavior.

If he's not in too much distress and nothing is physically wrong or dangerous, than I usually try to ignore the behavior, or I try to make him laugh, which squelches a meltdown in a heartbeat. I start by asking him 'if there's a monster that's trying to come out?' Then, I look in his mouth, and tickle him at the same time. *Don't Laugh At Me*...I tried it one day, and it worked. Paul also LOVES music and loves to 'sing' so I usually turn on the radio, or just sing to him myself and that often calms him down.

So, my advice is figure out something that might tickle Lukie's funny bone, and TOTALLY play it up when he's having a fit. It might work!