11.17.2008

MELTDOWN!!!

As I type this, I am in a complete state of bewilderment. My almost 17 month old is having an insane tantrum that I cannot seem to manage or pacify. She is screaming- blood curdling screams- and flailing herself in all directions, banging her head on the floor, flipping her body around and clawing at my legs. I've tried picking her up, soothing her, singing, reading a book, changing scenery... EVERYTHING! The only thing I can think to do now is just flat out ignore her. And do you know what started this? She bit me, and I told her "No" sternly and tried to "explain" that biting was not going to be allowed. And then it started. AND.IT.WON'T.STOP.

I gotta go get some tylenol for my headache.

11 comments:

  1. When everything calms down you might want to check out the book, "Teeth Are Not for Biting" by Elizabeth Verdick. Gets very good reviews. Hope all works out. Toddlers are trying!

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  2. Welcome to the club sister LOL sorry!!!

    Ugh don't remind me on tantrums...in the beginning (it started around the same age) I tried doing stuff to stop it but trust me for us it just made it worst...from than on I just ignore her (and it works) preferably she'll be in her room and scream her little head off for couple of minutes and than alone realize: why yell and scream when I could play...

    I know how you feel!And I'm sending you virtual hugs...our last tantrum was in the store and not a pretty sight at all...hang in there and don't give in up on the rules :)

    Hugs...

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  3. Ugh, I have so been there!! We've had biting issues at our house too, lately. Ours is 20 months old.

    Hang in there!! =)

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  4. Finley is 18 months old and will have tantrums when we say no. They are usually mini ones right now and I usually ignore him and he'll stop. If I talk to him at all while he's having it, he'll kick up the intensity. Not sure if that would help at all. Hugs, Mama!

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  5. You are doing the right thing by ignoring her. I can remember some of the most awful fits that my son used to throw and there was NO way to stop it, so we had to do just the same thing. I am so sorry that you are having to go thru that,it is no fun. Hopefully she will grow out of it soon. But be warned it lasted a while for us!!

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  6. Oh man... behold - my future. lol

    I'm sorry though! My mom told me that when I ran up and bit her the first time she bit me back... and I never did it again. *ahem* I'm not recommending that (and I don't think she would either), I'm just telling you what she told me, lol.

    God bless! Hope she's feeling better... apparently she must be. ;-)

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  7. Yep. She's definitely a Tharaldson :) Ask Eric who that reminds him of...

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  8. aww, Im sorry, I totally remember those days. Honestly my Kait grew outof it, but during that time it was awful. I know you love them and you want to help, I did, but I just put her in a safe place( her bed) told her not to leave it until she could stop,and I would just keep putting her back over and over until she stopped, eventually she learned it wasnt ok. Sending you big hugs!LA

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  9. I hear you! My 17 month old just discovered tantrums.

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  10. The hardest thing to do, but what you have to do, really, is what you are doing - ignore it. Keep yourself otherwise occupied (like blogging!). If you respond, the tantrums will continue, because your response is the attention, whether bad or good. It's easy to tell someone to do this and far harder to actually do it. There may be many more tantrums to come, but in the long run, if you ignore it, they eventually will stop. Bless you. I remember TWO screaming toddler tantrums at a time!

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  11. it's good to know what's ahead...i think.

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