Why do people only talk about the “Terrible Twos”? What about that age (say 16 months or so), where kids are starting to understand what you are saying, but can’t really communicate to you what they want? So how do they communicate? Through whining. Oh, and tantrums.
Up until this point, I have been amazed at what a good kid Ryder is. He is always sunny and he always listens. I have bragged about what a good, happy kid he is. Uh yeah. These last two weeks? Not so much. It’s like someone has replaced my sunny, happy boy with a stubborn, whiny, tantrum-throwing monster. I was not ready for this! I am humbled.
Yesterday we went to CVS to drop off a prescription and pick up a birthday card. When we got into the store, I set Ryder down and told him that he had to hold my hand, which he did. In my head, I had pictured the pharmacist ready and waiting with a smile to receive my prescription. HAHA! Instead, there was a surly, sour faced woman behind the counter who obviously had more important things to do than even acknowledge my presence.
After about three minutes, Ryder started to get enchanted with all of the shiny boxes, containers, shampoos, etc that surrounded him. He wanted to run. And touch. I knew I was losing him, so decided to pick them up. He wanted NONE of that. So began the power struggle. The power struggle that I immediately started to lose.
He started with a low, quiet whine/grunt thing. It quickly escalated to a high-pitch, top-of-lung wail. Before I knew it, I had become “That Lady”. I was seriously wishing the floor would just open and swallow us. Or that the Pharmacist would get her rear in gear. You’d think that she would just want me and my screaming banshee out of her store, but apparently she thought that if she stopped what she was doing and came over to wave at Ryder, it would all be better. Seriously lady? Just don’t.
Needless to say, I let her know I would be back a different day and ran out of there as fast as I could (but not before getting dirty looks from every person in the store) straight into the pouring rain. The same pouring rain that I spent 15 minutes in, trying to get a hysterical, crying, wailing kid into his car seat. Good times.
And the really sad part? That was only one of many, many temper tantrums over the course of this weekend. That doesn’t even include the testing of limits that took place. I am exhausted. I am also at a loss. I tried Time Out today, but of course there weren’t any clear results yet, as it was the first day. So what do you think? Is Time Out effective at this age? What has worked for you and your family? Please help me.
