Tag Archives: tantrum

I Am Toddler, Hear Me Roar

Sometimes, one or both of my boys have a rough day. Today seemed unusually difficult for Blake, and to make matters worse, whenever I tried to help him through an upset, disappointment, or other situation, he seemed to just get more upset. One time, he even got so worked up that he nearly made himself sick. When one of the boys has a rough day, I feel bad for both of them. Of course, whomever is freaking out must be attended to, and if there are only small amounts of time in between freak outs, the other guy gets only … Continue reading →

Taming the Preschool Beast

Nothing unleashes a preschooler’s inner beast quite like extracting him from a fun environment without advanced warning. When my daughter was 4 years old she had an epic outburst at a children’s museum in Chicago because I failed to give her proper notification of our departure.  In doing so, I robbed her of the gradual transition I knew she needed in order to calmly exit the building. The fit she threw nearly got us thrown out of the museum. Looking back, my preschooler’s tantrum, which included tossing her shoes down a slide, was simply her way of staying true to … Continue reading →

Tantrums – As Much of a Toddler Trademark as the Toddling

Tantrums are commonly associated with toddlers, and for good reason. It all makes sense, if you consider what is going on as a child transitions from being an infant to being a toddler. Infants almost always get what they ask for, because the things that they request (with cries and other cues) are usually things like food, drink, sleep, and cuddles, which parents are happy to provide. When a child becomes a toddler, they begin to ask for more and more things, including things that they can not have or are not permitted to do because they are dangerous, inappropriate, or … Continue reading →

Preview of the Terrible Twos?

Lily will be 17 months old on May 2. Our friends always comment on how sweet and quiet she is, and, truthfully, she is a very sweet little girl who rarely causes trouble. However, yesterday she really decided to flex her toddler muscles. The morning started out OK. She ate oatmeal with butter and some blueberries. We’ve found this is the best method of hiding her laxative. Simply cut the pill into tiny pieces and embed them in the berries. From that point forward, however, she was a little devil. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I take her to the library … Continue reading →

Screaming Toddlers

It seems that I am always telling my toddler to use his “inside voice.” I don’t know why he feels the need to scream on a regular basis. I have considered the possible reasons that toddlers scream and how to cope with each reason. One of the reasons that toddlers often scream is because they are not getting their way. This is often the case with my son. For a young child, he seems to have many anger issues. I’ve even wondered if I could find an anger management class for toddlers. When my son isn’t getting his way and … Continue reading →

Time Outs for Toddlers

To say I am a firm believer in time outs for toddlers is an understatement. I have tried everything to get my son to behave and listen to what I tell him. He is a very strong-willed, hard-headed, stubborn child. He is full of energy and determination. Consequently, he is always getting into trouble. My son’s most recent reaction to getting into trouble is to smile and come over and hug me. I recently told him, “I don’t want a hug. I want you to listen and to do what you are told.” At that point, he leaned in and … Continue reading →

Shopping with Toddlers

Whether or not you love to shop, going to the store with a toddler in tow is much different from shopping alone or with older kids or adults. Today, I took my toddler to the mall. I survived. I didn’t think I would. At least when I go shopping alone or with an adult or even with a teenager, they walk by themselves without asking to be carried. My son just had to have me carry him and that took a toll on my back. I remember a few years ago when I went shopping with my friend and her … Continue reading →

Hope with Ritalin

I was told early on that my son showed signs of ADD. Being one of those people who feel ADD is over diagnosed, I had a mental laundry list of all the other things that could be attributing to my son’s behavior. My son is a 5 year old high energy little boy. He is not what I consider to be hyperactive. Due to prenatal drug exposure and family medical history, there could be any number of neurological issues contributing to his behaviors. We have looked at Sensory Integration Dysfunction (DSI) because he appeared to be seeking sensory input by … Continue reading →

Sensory Integration Dysfunction: Just What Exactly Is It?

Imagine you’re a child, and the sweater your mother dressed you in feels like sandpaper chafing your skin. The sensation of the threads rubbing across your arms is so irritating, you can barely concentrate on anything else. You grunt and whine in frustration, trying to convey your feelings, but you can’t put them into words that make sense. You throw a tantrum, and finally your mother removes your sweater. Then she casually turns on the dishwasher. The buzzing of the motor rings terribly loud in your ears. You run into the corner of the room, covering your head and moaning. … Continue reading →

When Your Child Throws a Tantrum in Public: 4 Steps to Regain Control

“Please…make it stop!” With most of life’s problems, we can’t just ignore them and hope they’ll go away. However, tantrums can be an exception. With the right technique, you can ignore your child’s tantrums and eliminate them–hopefully forever. But it takes guts and determination. My Tantrum Hell When my son Kyle was five, his autism made language difficult. Rather than express his frustration in words, he screamed. He would lay on the floor, screeching, sometimes hitting himself and kicking his feet. This made traveling to public places a challenge. At the grocery store, Kyle would spot a toy or book … Continue reading →