Lately my pleasant and happy sixteen-month-old has had an increasing number of monster moments. Is this the beginning of the terrible twos? He will be perfectly happy, and then the smallest thing seems to cause a shrieking crying fit. For example, this afternoon when we went outside Joel threw a tantrum because he didn't want me to put mittens on him. Then he cried because his hands were cold and wet. Joel bawled after slipping on some ice and falling down. He wailed and swatted my hands away when I tried to help him back up. (He wasn't hurt at all, being well padded by his snowgear, and seeing as he is short enough that it wasn't a long fall to the ground.) He screamed when I insisted on holding his hand while crossing the street. Finally I picked Joel up and marched back inside. It was NOT a fun outing.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Jekyll and Hyde
Lately my pleasant and happy sixteen-month-old has had an increasing number of monster moments. Is this the beginning of the terrible twos? He will be perfectly happy, and then the smallest thing seems to cause a shrieking crying fit. For example, this afternoon when we went outside Joel threw a tantrum because he didn't want me to put mittens on him. Then he cried because his hands were cold and wet. Joel bawled after slipping on some ice and falling down. He wailed and swatted my hands away when I tried to help him back up. (He wasn't hurt at all, being well padded by his snowgear, and seeing as he is short enough that it wasn't a long fall to the ground.) He screamed when I insisted on holding his hand while crossing the street. Finally I picked Joel up and marched back inside. It was NOT a fun outing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Ah.... yes. Never fear. Perfectly normal. Or maybe you SHOULD fear...
And so it begins. Fun times.
Frustrating as a parent. They want to be so independent, but yet they still don't quite get it yet. If you get it figured out, let me know : )
Someone once told me that we spend the first 16 or so months of a baby's life giving him everything he asks for and the next 16 months of his life teaching him that that is NOT the way life works. Hence the "terrible twos and threes!"
Understanding that made the season less "terrible" and more easy to label as "agency instruction" or "cause and effect learning."
Children aren't "accountable" until age eight, but you are beginning to teach him about it now. Learning to use agency is a BIG thing! Best wishes as you try to be patient and consistent as he learns.
As he learns to communicate better, it will get a little easier.
(Sorry if I spouted stuff you already knew. I didn't know it when first few were struggling and it made all of the difference with my latter ones.)
I totally feel your pain. Last night was had a few foot-stomping tantrums because I wouldn't let E reach his hand into a pot of boiling chicken (mean mother that I am).
Post a Comment