So, when do temper tantrums start??

[Spink]

ds is 11 months and does a good impression of a tantrum.. mostly when I don't get food to him quickly enough (screws his eyes shut, gets red in the face and bawly, waves his arms around .. and eventually stops and looks in surprise at the meal that has 'magically' appeared before him)

is this unusual?? and are we supposed to start 'disciplining' him already?

[olivo]

my dd started around 10 months. we didnt and still dont really discipline but we did try to remove either her or the item she shouldnt have - one of her things was paying with the heather switches, so she was removed with a firm no. now, she may throw things (food usually) so they are taken away, or she is removed from the place she shouldnt be. all ensuing tantrums are ignored as far as possible until she comes for cuddle- her way of saying sorry i guess!

[Mercy]

No, that's not a tantrum (well, not a proper one)

I think the usual age is 18 months plus - in fact my ds missed the terrible twos but we had the terrible threes instead!

[Twiglett]

well mine started just about the time my children started having wills of their own

[dd666]

dd was about 8months if we didnt do what she wanted she threw herself back stamping feet screaming etc
now she is 19mo and has had terrible twos for cpl months already

[nannyL]

i say anywhen from about 9 months depending on child.

am sure some one some where have staretd tantrums earlier though!

[Mercy]

I suppose it depends on what you mean by a tantrum or think what it entails.

[kbaby]

Ds (17m)has started having paddy's which means if he cant get anything he throws things he cant find, cries and hits. We deal with those by distraction or saying no.
I remember from DD that I used to think they were tantrums but once he got to 22 months then the tantrums really kicked in.

Think of these as the warm up to the real stuff

[chankins]

ds goes a bit mental if he can't have something he wants or something is taken away fro, him and he is only 8 mo. I don'tthink of it as proper tantrums though, just a reaction !
My dds avoided tantrums in their twos but threes were a lot harder.

[nannyL]

my 2.5 year old charge has fewer and much less severe tantrums now, than a year ago when he was 17 months old!

In my experiance i find tantrums worse around 15 - 22 months when they just cant communicate what they want, and life begins getting easier once they hit their 2nd birthday, when they can communicate more and be reasoned with!

i think a 2&half year old is much eaiser than a 2 year old

and a 2 year old is much easier than an 18 month old actually!

[worley]

ds2 has developed some proper tantrums now at 18mths. he throws himself down and screams or drops to his knees and throws his arms up and rocks forward as if hes praising the lord or something!! i just walk off and ignore him. if i sit him on my lap and dont give in to one of his tantrums he tried to lean forwrad and bite my arms or kicks. i think he sees others at nursery and is copying some of them. he walked up to dp earlier and kicked him in the shin and laughed!! little bugger..

[LIZS]

ime "Tantrums" in an under 18 month old differ to those of older (18months - 3 or older). Younger toddlers/babies get frustrated when they cannot do what they want to achieve, either by a physical barrier or their own inability, or are thwarted in their curiosity (ie fingers removed from a socket) whereas older toddlers are more often actually consciously testing boundaries and demanding their own way. You cannot discipline the former since they have no real control over their impulses or method of venting frustration.