It happens at least once a week. You go to daycare to pick up your toddler, and they are smiling and happy to see you...till it comes to getting them into the car. You somehow manage to wrangle them into the car seat, and on the trip home you realise the worst thing imaginable... you have no milk at home.
So off to the store you trek, angsty toddler in tow, and the inevitable happens. A major meltdown complete with kicking, screeching, somehow defying the laws of physics by softening their whole body like jello so you can't hold them (someone needs to explain that to me). The onlookers stare as you try to drag your child who's now lying on the floor wailing like a banshee, all because you told them they couldn't open the bottle of hot sauce they picked up from the bottom shelf.
We've all been there...or have we?
Studies show that not all toddlers go through the terrible twos till they are almost three. In fact, some don't go through it at all.
I guess I just got lucky! Ava is 19 months old and as delightful, but also as stubborn as they come. She is brilliantly smart, but brilliantly defiant. She can count to ten and says please and thank you, but also knows how to ask for Sofia the First on netflix and will yell at you repeatedly till you oblige.
She knows what she wants, and she knows how to get it. Tantrums.
So how do we deal with these almost-daily showdowns? A few things have proven to work for us:
Distraction
Ava loves books. I try to always keep one with me to distract her from imminent meltdowns when we are out and about.
Distraction
Ava loves books. I try to always keep one with me to distract her from imminent meltdowns when we are out and about.
Food
More often than not, Ava gets moody when she is hungry. Or, hangry, if you will. Cheese or bananas can save the day in this case.
Food
More often than not, Ava gets moody when she is hungry. Or, hangry, if you will. Cheese or bananas can save the day in this case.
A bottle and a nap
Yes, my 19 month old still has a bottle. No, there are no plans to take it away.
Ava never had a comfort of any kind, a lovey, a blanket, a favorite bear or doll. It was always her bottle, and sometime's it's the only way to relax her enough to sleep.
A bottle and a nap
Yes, my 19 month old still has a bottle. No, there are no plans to take it away.
Ava never had a comfort of any kind, a lovey, a blanket, a favorite bear or doll. It was always her bottle, and sometime's it's the only way to relax her enough to sleep.
Time Out
This isn't a time out in the traditional sense. We use it to take her from a situation, calm her down, talk to her and explain why she needs to listen. She has learned that it's a safe place to sit and regulate her emotions.
Time Out
This isn't a time out in the traditional sense. We use it to take her from a situation, calm her down, talk to her and explain why she needs to listen. She has learned that it's a safe place to sit and regulate her emotions.
A bath
For some reason, a bath seems to work wonders! I always use a scented lavender bath wash, and let her play for a while, and it seems to help with her fussiness.
Can anyone relate? Comment below on what works for you!
A bath
For some reason, a bath seems to work wonders! I always use a scented lavender bath wash, and let her play for a while, and it seems to help with her fussiness.
Can anyone relate? Comment below on what works for you!
When my daughter was a toddler (8 years ago) she was a lot like Ava she definitely knew what she wanted. What kept her quiet was music and her pacifier. The bath also worked wonders as well.
ReplyDeleteWhen my daughter was a toddler (8 years ago) she was a lot like Ava she definitely knew what she wanted. What kept her quiet was music and her pacifier. The bath also worked wonders as well.
ReplyDeleteYes the terrible two's are real. My daughter never had meltdowns in public, but at home she was a handful (still is a handful). LOL. Hi from Moms Blogger Club!
ReplyDelete