On the plane from New Caledonia to Sydney (a three hour flight, for which I was with you solo) you started throwing your head back, wailing and arching your body when I tried to keep you from hitting the tray table in front of us. Needless to say, you were M.A.D. and downright pissed off that I wouldn't let you do what you wanted. Luckily the back of the plane was virtually empty, so before things got too out of hand, we moved.As you banged away I thought to myself, I'm usually not one to "give in" that easily, but I was on my own and hadn't experienced this type of outrage from you before and at 30,000 feet, I know better than to argue with a toddler.
Since that first episode, you have become quite the little pro at what I can only label as The Temper Tantrum, or The Ultimate Meltdown. When you want something, you want it NOW!!
Oh joy....
Is this how these episodes begin?? I (naively) thought that these outbursts debuted during the infamous Terrible Twos? Could they be a whole year early, and how long do I have to put up with them if they are?
I get it... I think. Toddlers seem to understand WAY more than they can express. I can't even imagine not being able to communicate your needs, wants or desires. Even if hitting the tray table in front of you is completely out of the question. As your language skills improve, is it safe to assume that these tantrums will decrease? Please offer me some hope before I have a kicking, screaming, back arching fit of my own.
I found this interesting blurb in the April 2010 issue of Parenting magazine:
Apparently, caving to a tantrum-throwing toddler is in our DNA. In a study conducted by scientists from London's Roehampton University, mother rhesus monkeys gave in to their shrieking infants only 39% of the time when pair was alone, but a whopping 81% of the time when strangers were listening.
Uh, yeah, is all I have to say about that. When your child acts out and you appear out of control, it's completely embarrassing. Let's just say, I've done a lot more deep breathing andcounting to 10 since I became a mother.
The best is yet to be.
Day 77/100