We all know that toddlers can throw tantrums sometimes.
Tantrums about big things. Tantrums about little things.
Tantrums about nothing. Absolutely nothing. No warning, no reasoning; just kicking and screaming on the floor for seventy minutes, followed by a sweet-as-you-like request for a cup of milk.
Tantrums about wanting to wear socks. Followed immediately by tantrums about wanting to have bare feet. Followed immediately by tantrums about wanting to wear sock pants (Ashleigh’s version of tights) AND socks AND shoes AND gumboots.
When toddlers are mid-tantrum, they don’t want to hear you. They don’t want to be reasoned with. Or spoken to at all.
And they definitely don’t want to hear any of the following things:
- If you’re hungry enough to want chocolate, you’re hungry enough to finish your sandwich.
- By throwing a tantrum about going to bed, you’re just showing me how tired you really are.
- We can’t walk to the park because it’s raining.
- You don’t even like this flavour of yoghurt. If I open this for you, it will just end up in the bin.
- Do you think you’re going to be rewarded for this behaviour with a cupcake?
- You’re not in trouble. You can’t have <insert fun/delicious thing here> because we don’t actually have any.
- If you don’t want to eat your dinner, it can go in the compost.
- When I warn you that if you don’t do something you’ll go to your room, and you don’t do it, you shouldn’t be surprised when I take you to your room.
- I can hear the phone/doorbell. But I’m on the toilet/in the shower/feeding Mitchell. I can’t answer it right now.
They especially don’t want to hear lots of them in quick succession:
- You’re too big for the bouncer, sweetie. It’s made for babies.
- Babies need bouncers because they can’t sit up.
- Babies have to learn how to sit up.
- Babies can’t learn how to sit up the second you show them how to do it.
- Mitchell loves you. He’s not sitting up because he can’t do it, not because he’s ignoring you.
- We are keeping Mitchell, Ashleigh.
Ever tried reasoning with a tantrumming toddler? How did that work out for you?
Love it! Especially the last comment about keeping Mitchell!
Ha Ha I just looked up to see Declan sitting in the bouncer while reading this!
What IS it about the bouncer that attracts them?!
bahahahaha love it. “We are keeping Mitchell, Ashleigh.”
Oh so spot on! No logic. At. All. Which usually leaves me throwing a tantrum of my own. Not proud. NO.
Lol. Very funny. I’ve used the ‘the bouncer is for babies’ one a few times lately. I’ve also been battling a little lately with my daughter trying to brush her baby sister’s teeth (she only has two) and feed her cake. Lord! Anyway, they are incredibly difficult to reason with and so, so stubborn 🙂
Haha, and awwww. The teeth brushing sounds adorable.
LMAO hhaaaa “We are keeping Mitchell, Ashleigh”
Eight years after my Number 3 was usurped as the youngest by her little sister, I am still saying “I can not send her back. It’s time you got used to that fact”
xxx
I believe when my little sister was born I told everybody that she should go in the rubbish bin – I feel Ashleigh’s pain.
LOL I hear your pain – Miss 16 was the Queen of Tanties as a young ‘un. I learnt very early one that trying to reason with her was a complete and utter waste of time. Best thing to do was pop her in her room and hold the door shut and let her scream it out until she was done – however long that took!
Oh AND visiting from #TeamIBOT xxx
LOVED reading this – it sounds like my life right now – SO FRUSTRATING! Especially that I have two toddlers that ADORE throwing tantys xx
Oh no! Do they set each other off?
Funny, and very very true. My daughter once had a massive tantrum because “one day, her hairbrush might break”. Seriously.
xx
Ha ha ha ha! oh that’s so cute! Love her logic 🙂
Hmmmm… I’m often hungry for chocolate but not my sandwich. I KNEW I was part-toddler!!!
Fun wrap up, Em. I think you nailed it. x
This is all sounding very familiar… Toddlers are as smart as tacks but logic seems to be the last thing they learn.
You might like this post I wrote about convergent thinking between my toddler and me 😉
http://www.freezecheese.com/convergent-thinking/