Holy Temper Tantrums

My time has come....guess someone up above figured that I had a year of model behavior. A calm demeanor. Smily face. Slept well. Easily occupied.

I was spoiled.

He has turned into full on terror mode but realize it is all relative depending on the child. DH and I are NOT used to this though. He screams over everything. Head back. Back arched. Beat red. Tears. Can't breath. Flails back and hits his head if he's sitting on the floor. OMG....it's insane. He's going to hurt himself.

We've been pretty good with either ignoring it or saying "MATTHEW" in a stern tone. But guess he just needs to grow out of it, huh? Anything else we can do? Do we walk away? Does that cause any abandonment issues? He's always hated us walking away even. I don't want to traumatize the kid.

Also want to mention the throwing phase too...he really has a great arm and one of his favorite things to do is play ball. He LOVES to throw things off his highchair. Not like when we play ball but he like to dangle his arm over the chair and drop things. Food. crayons. sippy cups. I tell him "NO" sometimes I give his hand a "gentle smack" but not luck yet. Will he get it?

And then lets that he seems to not like to sleep anymore. He goes to sleep LATE and wakes up EARLY! I think he's still messed up from vaca two weeks ago but hope that part changes fast because I can't even function anymore.

Thanks for listening -- i know we all go through it some time or another.

Re: Holy Temper Tantrums

Aw Lisa, sorry that you and DH are going through this!


We are still in the happy, "we have a wonderful and happy baby" stage! Don't have any advice right now, but I might be coming to you for help in a few months!

For now, all I can offer are !!!

Hang in there!

Re: Holy Temper Tantrums

Re: Holy Temper Tantrums

Awww, I totally understand what you are going through. You know Jeremy. He too is a happy, wonderful little boy. But watch out if he is not getting what he wants
He is also a thrower of all things. I will generally take him away from the situation and distract him (or "redirect" him). It really does work! I have also has to resort to bribery occasionally I keep "lollies" in the car for when he doesn't want to go into his car seat because I have taken him away from playing or what ever. If we are in the house, I will leave him where he is if he is throwing a tantrum. It will DEFINITELY not lead to abandonment issues . I make sue he is in a safe place, like on carpet, preferably and let him go. It is generally because I won't let him do something dangerous like play IN the dishwasher or give him a knife to play with or something along those lines (I know, mean mommy ). I also know that DS will only throw a tantrum when he is really tires. You will learn the triggers. You know Matthew better than anyone Also know, he is not "mad" or "upset" with YOU. He is throwing the tantrums because he has no other way to communicate. Kids need to let it out,just like we do on occasion.

If you need to vent or chat, absolutely do not hesitate to call me. I have really good shoulders to cry on too I completely understand how you feel. It really is heartbreaking to see your baby so upset.

Re: Holy Temper Tantrums

Gosh Felice, you are mommy dearest not letting him play with knives!!! LOL.

Thanks for the pep talk. It makes me feel better!!!

In terms of his triggers, I'm learning them. For example, on Friday he started to have one the second we walked into the house from the car. It happened a few times this weekend. I was thinking that he didn't like his home. But then realized that we had his step 2 buggy next to the front porch and he wanted to go in it. So i moved it to the back.

He has an obsession with opening and closing things. cabinets, drawers, microwave, fridge. Yesterday morning we were in Costco and everytime I'd open and close a freezer he'd completely freak out. Because he wanted to do it. I suppose I could have let him do it but I was afraid he'd want to sit there and open and close it all day.

My MIL let him "play" in her pots and pans cabinet the other day which both DH and I are upset about because now he wants to do it at our house. He's going to talk to her about it. He spends a lot with her since she watches him 2 days per week and I KNOW that she cannot stand when people are mad at her (I'm serious, i think she needs therapy because if you even look at her the wrong way she gets upset). Anyway, she is going to need to put the fist down two with the tantrums because i suspect she coddles him when I'm not there. And she will completely blow our "united front" approach.

I'm hoping this doesn't last too long...that he'll at least grow out of it by the time he's 25.