Tantrums and 18 months - I need ADVICE.

I didn't go through this too much with my first daughter but my 2nd daughter recently started throwing tantrums - I mean she has blood curdling screams when she doesn't get her way - she will not move, sometimes sit or throw her on the floor if you try to pick her up and scream LOUD and for a long time.
She has made many heads turn when we are out, cars even glance because she is so loud and uncontrollable.

I really hate it. I think some of it may be due to have a close sibling near her trying to teach her what to do and steer attention away from her - that or either she is a real tough cookie.

I recently started time outs and will let her scream it out in her chair and i hope she starts to understand I don't tolerate that - but REALLY what is the right thing to do?
How do you deal?
TIA

Message edited 4/29/2009 11:05:03 PM.

Re: Tantrums and 18 months - I need ADVICE.

My second DD is also 18 months and her tantrums are crazy. I too just do the time out. Sometimes if its really bad I will put her in her room until she calms down. My first DD was never this bad with tantrums so I am not really sure what to do. Luckily she hasn't done it in public yet, but I know she will soon!


I just wanted to see you aren't alone

Re: Tantrums and 18 months - I need ADVICE.

At 18 months there is not much more you can do other than ignore and distract.

Re: Tantrums and 18 months - I need ADVICE.

My almost 17 month old is also a crazy lunatic! It must be something with close in age girls!

I usually ignore her or just firmly tell her No or whatever... I find that she is much harder to distract than my older one was...

Re: Tantrums and 18 months - I need ADVICE.

I feel like I respond to all of these posts

First of all - let people stare - eff them - unless they are contributing to your child's rearing, ignore them, or ask them what they are lookng at.

DH has given DS time outs in front of restaurants on quaint little main streets n small towns, with people laughing as they walked by (I couldn't blame them - a little 15 month old boy with shaggy hair and bright purple from screaming would make me laugh. Especially if I knew he was being bad )

The whole world has a time out corner Starting at around 14-15 mts, Cailen would receive a timeout at a wall or a corner wherever we were - Barnes and Noble, outside of restaurants, you name it.

At home its T/O and ignore plus you don't get what you tantrummed for (unless we make some conditions to get it that involve pointing, no crying, saying "sorry" even if it means petting with hand, etc)

Don't let these little guys scare you - we are bigger and tantrums are ALWAYS opportunities to learn. And they learn from tantrums no matter what the consequence is, so you can change that!!!

Re: Tantrums and 18 months - I need ADVICE.

Thanks so much ladies - i guess this will be a work in progress - ill definitely do the time outs and teach her to say "sorry" - she likes to swing her arms too and it often lands on my face - its quite a spectacal sometimes!
lipglossjunky73 - your response was really good - i guess time outs are possible anywhere.....

I do have to say I was at a bridal shower this past weekend and she was throwing lots of tantrums the woman across the table actually shouted "Would you SHUT UP" to my daughter - she thought I wouldn't of responded to her but I did. I had to be cordial because it was my cousin's bridal shower but man o man did I want to curse her out! I was staring her up and down for about 2-3 minutes - I felt like saying " Do you really think I want my daughter to be this loud and disruptive!" Some people are just plain rude and as I like to call them LOW LIVES! Thanks for letting me get this out.

Re: Tantrums and 18 months - I need ADVICE.

DS is 17 months and very often distraction still works with him, especially if the tantrum is over a toy. But I'm sure it won't at some point.

Yesterday he was crying and crying though because he wanted his crayon box (did he color at all when I had it out, no, but he wanted it later). He couldn't have it because we had some errands I really needed to do in the morning. So I tell him he can't have it, tell him why, then I ignored him. Eventually he stopped crying for the box and was very happy to go out. We also have given him a couple time outs when he gets wild and is kind of destructive. Don't know if it really works yet since this doesn't happen too often.