For the last month or so we have been unfortunately venturing back into the world of the almighty tantrum. HOLY HELL I forgot how much I dislike this age with my children. Obviously, disclaimer, I love my kids, blah blah blah… but right now, I can love Harvey without actually enjoying his company very much. He has some adorable, hysterical, laughter inducing moments… but he also has MANY more moments that incite not-so-awesome parenting reactions such a yelling, stomping, and locking someone (either him or ourselves) into a bedroom to calm down.
Seriously, is there anything that makes you feel like a worse parent than locking your barely 2 year old into his room and listening to him scream and beat on the door while you walk circles in your own room just to calm down because otherwise you are afraid you will totally snap on a child who is just trying to learn how to handle these big emotions?
Parenting a toddler at it’s finest. I’m not rocking it.
Stella threw some tantrums, but I (rightly or not, I’m fully aware memories fade with time) never remember her being THIS insane. All day long we are negotiating with a tiny terrorist who has NO problem throwing himself to the ground and SCREAMING bloody murder while crying hysterically, hitting everything and everyone in sight, and being completely irrational. It’s exhausting (for all of us!) to put it mildly, and more than anything, I just really miss wanting to spend more time with my baby boy. *sigh*
A very typical scene at our house lately (and I literally took this photo just before writing this post) – Stella calmly playing and focusing on something, Harvey in hysterics on the floor next to her. *sigh*
Stella’s hair looks amazing. Tantrums suck 🙁
Poppy had her first real, full, crazy, OMG WTF one last weekend. I literally took her outside before 7 a.m., still dark out on a Sunday morning, checked my phone and it was 26 degrees. I strapped her in the Ergo to keep us both warm and prayed that the freezing cold air would shock her body enough to make her stop screaming. It worked after a few minutes, but I’m sure at least a few of the neighbors got a little wake-up treat first 😳
Tantrums are the worst! My twins will be 4 in May and one of my girls is still losing it more often then any of us would like.
This is my son at 2.5! Sometimes I frankly worry about his happiness level – am I not making his life content enough? But no – he is just being himself. His twin sister is the complete opposite. I could’ve written this myself!
Oh, the tantrums! Our twin sons will be 4 tomorrow, and my husband and I were just discussing last week that there has not been a single day in the past 4 years that one or both of them has not cried.
You’re remembering Stella correctly – you’ve always said she wasn’t big into tantrums. We have the same thing here, Matthew never threw fits (has NEVER thrown himself on the floor and screamed to this day) and Bryson is a pro at it. We don’t know what to do half the time.
My guy is getting REALLY good at throwing tantrums these days, but honestly, his sister was SO MUCH WORSE that his don’t really phase me. He throws the kinds of tantrums I figured other people were talking about when I was try to broach the subject of my daughter’s behavior–intense and unpleasant to be sure, but over eventually and without anyone getting (seriously) hurt. At two years old I was already holding my daughter like a straight jacket to keep her from hurting herself or me–sometimes for up to 30 minutes or an hour. So yeah, my son’s tantrums are frustrating and I get annoyed, but they don’t push me to the brink of despair life his sister’s did.
Having said that, their constant bickering definitely has me locked in a room, pacing, trying to hold my shit together, because after two or three hours of it, I’m seriously going to lose my shit.
So I feel you on that front mama. These years are not easy.
Lucy is a phenomenal tantrum thrower!! Lol! Sounds like her and Harvey would be fast friends…screaming and carrying on! Lol! Full throttle at this house, the terrible twos and the fearless fours!
tantrums are not easy, not easy at all. It’s interesting to have two different kids who have been through (or are going through this stage) and they are so different. Luke was so hard in his twos and his tantrums would last hours with him locked in a room because he was hitting me. So many things i said that I wish I could unsay and frustrations, he would push me to the brink with power struggles. hang in there, j. it’s hard.
SAME LIFE here, seriously…18 month old son, 3.75 year old daughter. Unbelievably frustrating and difficult to deal with!!! Ugh.
D loves to throw himself on the floor too. Usually I just look at him and say, really?? We had it so easy with C and didn’t even know it.
Ugh. It’s so hard. Solidarity.