Kids crying and throwing tantrums for no reason — we’ve all been there. I have an almost 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. The tears are nonstop for assorted reasons:
- Not wanting to walk the dog
- Not wanting to pick up his sister
- Not wanting to take a picture
- Not wanting to throw trash away
- Not wanting to take a bath
- Sleep is boring
- Wanting more candy
- Pulling a pet’s tail is fun
The list goes on and on, and I’m sure many of you have heard “funnier” reasons. My 2-year-old daughter, who I call my “naughty” child throws some of the “best” and worst tantrums. She entered the terrible twos by the age of one. I have never experienced such attitude from a child before. She has a lot of sass!
My son, however, has a more laid back demeanor. At the age of two, Cohen was put into his fair share of timeouts, but he soon realized he didn’t like them and corrected his behavior pretty fast! I’m not saying he’s perfect, but compared to Collyns, he acts like a saint.
A Tantrum-Loving Toddler
Collyns is stubborn. When she wants something, watch out. If you tell her no, beware of the tantrum to follow. She will stomp her feet, throw things, yell “No!” then eventually fall to the floor wailing about. My husband always asks jokingly, “I wonder where she got her attitude from?” Of course, he is referring to me.
We have tried every method of discipline:
- Rewarding good behavior
- Being clear about the rules
- Timeouts
- Spankings
At this point, we are trying to ignore the tantrums, which is easier said than done especially in public. Recently, we had Easter dinner at my aunt and uncle’s house. Collyns was throwing one of her infamous tantrums while Mitch and I were trying to ignore it. Some family members were laughing at her, inevitably egging her on. While other family members wondered why Mitch and I weren’t “parenting” her. Not to mention the horrible looks from people who are watching this happen. Eventually, Grandma put her in timeout despite what Mitch and I discussed. The timeout didn’t last long as she started her tantrum again. At this time, we were done eating and just left.
What’s Behind the Tantrum
She, of course, fell asleep in the car. As you can guess, some of her tantrums are related to how tired she is and some of them are just her way of communicating, but most of them is her sass! It is interesting to me to see the difference between Cohen and Collyns. Two kids raised by the same parents with the same discipline style and with completely different personalities. Is it a boy versus girl issue? Or is something else?
What I am hoping is that she will grow out of this stage. I am learning that every child is different and that as a parent, you should not judge other people’s parenting techniques. Even though Collyns is giving me more grey hair, both my kids are “fun” in their own way!
Mallory Connelly
Babies & Toddlers
In addition to the time I devote to being a mom, I also work full-time outside the home, which means my day is hardly ever as simple as nine to five. With an all-too-established schedule, as soon as I walk through the door, my day doesn’t end, but rather just begins. It’s a balancing act, especially with two children, but being a mom is one full-time job that I never want to quit!
