The following is not that moment, but the precursor to it.
We have entered a new stage of development...the tantrum: high pitched screaming, carefully executed, yet dramatic flailing. The tantrum. Despite the fact that every child development guru assures me that it is a normal aspect of development, I don't like it. There are so many different opinions: ignore it/don't ignore it; be overbearing/don't overreact; be thankful she's comfortable with you/don't put up with that....seriously? Can't you people get your story straight before my eardrums erupt?!
Back to the point.
So the other day...full blown meltdown tantrum. Now, she might be two, but she communicates well. I'm talking full on complex sentences: subject, verb, direct object, conjunction, direct object, preposition...you get it. So this isn't a I-am-frustrated-I-cant-communicate thing. It's more of a I-want-my-way-now kind of thing.
I. Don't. Think. So.
So, the goal, to teach her that there are appropriate ways to get what we want and inappropriate ways, like screaming. So after calming down, Daddy and her had a chat about screaming. She seemed to listen, but two hours later she had another. Then, time to sleep.
The next morning, Sweet Pea wakes me up saying, "Mommy, lay down. We need to talk."
Okay.
Then she launches into our bedtime conversation routine, "Mommy and Daddy make me sad."
"Why, baby?"
"Mommy and Daddy make me sad because I screaming."
"Baby, you can tell Mommy and Daddy how you feel. You don't have to scream to get what you want. All you have to do is talk to us."
"I sorry, Mommy. I love you too, Mommy."
Click. Snap mental photo.
I know there will be more tantrums. But here's a step in the right direction. And I'm so grateful for the precedence our bedtime routine has set in place for moments like these.
Do you have any snapshot moments? And veteran parents, toss any tantrum taming advice this way.
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