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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Wibu about DD tantrum?

46 replies

FindTheLightSwitchDarren · 20/09/2017 18:09

I'll try and keep this as brief as possible, but apologies if it's a ramble.

I've been on MN for years, but have recently changed accounts; obligatory 'proof' - naice ham, cutted up pear, cancel the cheque.

In the past few weeks I have had to force DD (nearly 3) into her pram, three times. Once was because she was restless and disruptive (climbing over the back of benches, lying on the floor, banging glasses off the table), in a busy cafe while we were waiting for our lunch to arrive, that I told her we would have to leave if she didn't sit down. I had offered her a banana while we waited for her lunch, so I don't think she was starving hungry. She also had a drink. She kept misbehaving and I felt I had to folllw through with the punishment and scooped her up and walked home, where we had lunch.

The second time, was when we had to leave the beach where she was paddling, fully clothed. I went to take her hand to help her out of the sea, she ran off laughing and fell flat on her face in the sea. I picked her up, but she still thought this was hilarious and ran off again, so I scooped her up and put her in her pram. No mean feat. I am pregnant, she is strong and quite big for her age and was in an utter rage at having to leave. Also, she was probably uncomfortable being soaked through. I did take off as much of her wet clothes as I could and wrapped her up in my jacket and jumper, but she was still very upset.

Then this afternoon, we had to go and pick up a prescription at the doctors. DD wanted to walk there, which we did, but I also took the pram in case we needed it. I can't really carry her now if she gets tired due to pregnancy. I told her before we left the house that she must hold my hand as there are busy roads on the way. She said she understood, but then played up the whole way there; swinging off my arm, letting go of my hand and running off, lying on the pavement, picking up bits of god knows what from the ground and trying to eat random plants and berries. Eventually we got to the doctors and pharmacists. When we were ready to leave, I asked her if she wanted to walk home, or go in the pram. She said she wanted to walk, so I reiterated that she had to hold my hand and walk properly or she would have to go in the pram. She then played up again the whole way. I eventually said that was enough and she had to get in her pram. I scooped her up and spent the next ten to fifteen minutes trying to get her in the pram while she screamed, threw things, pushed over the pram, (very busy road, so this was dangerous), pulled the hood off the pram, climbed out of the pram and repeat. It was awful and I felt like crying myself. Eventually I got her in and put peppa pig on my phone which seemed to keep her in there for the rest of the journey home, though she was still crying while watching it. We got home and she was suddenly fine.

I feel like I've massively fucked up and I can't pinpoint why. Hence me posting on aibu! Help please.

OP posts:
Comtesse · 20/09/2017 21:42

ensure the pushchair is backed up to something solid like a wall or a fence before you try to put the child in (stops it going over backwards). I got quite good about getting a knee in quickly just enough so that the straps could still be done up. Or wheel the pushchair along on the back wheels with the front wheels tipped right up so they can't jump out.

You'll probably want a buggy board when the new baby comes....

CatsRidingRollercoasters · 20/09/2017 21:45

I think you handled it fine, although I probably would have got her in the pram the first time she deliberately let go of your hand on the walk. You could let her out again after a short while to give her another chance but let her know you mean business.

My dd went through a similar phase a few months ago and it was seriously hard work. We bought a really good book (recommended by a mumsnetter) called My Big Shouting Day which I highly recommend!

littletike · 20/09/2017 21:46

I agree with others - my 3 year old is exactly the same. I still use reins and buggy and sometimes think I'll still be using them when they're 10! They don't understand reward charts and can undo the buggy straps and their little life backpack so have invested in reins that do up at the back! I've had judgemental comments when I've been out and about but as long as they're safe I don't care. I haven't really got any answers for you but you aren't alone.

mctat · 20/09/2017 21:49

There's nothing wrong with using the pram as you did at all.

But I do agree you need to reframe how you see her behaviour and your expectations for her age/development. This all sounds like normal toddler behaviour, no need for punishments, just set the boundary, let her get her frustrations out. Not fun for us, but it's perfectly healthy.

Removing her from the cafe was the respectful thing to do for her. Was she over stimulated? Noisy cafes are not good places for hungry toddlers imo. I actually prefer your approach of putting her in the pram than reins. She will learn not to run away if you are firm & consistent.

Roundandroundtheapartment · 20/09/2017 21:51

My dd is the same, I do use reins but she will still flop on the floor so I end up picking her up all the time Angry

mctat · 20/09/2017 21:52

Could the meltdowns really be about the new baby?

Raver84 · 20/09/2017 21:57

My third is 3. She has moments like this, they all have. I just leave ages to get to say the doctors so if she wants to explore or walk slowly she can. It's when we rush the meltdowns happen. Also the beach.... you need to expect they will want to go in and paddle, juat let her do it and do what you did dry off then home. No biggie. You've done nothing wrong.

CatsRidingRollercoasters · 20/09/2017 21:58

My dd's meltdowns were linked to potty training.

mummmy2017 · 20/09/2017 22:04

Get a toy she really likes that is small.
Tell her that if she behaves on the walk, she can have the toy, for 10 mins
When you set off back, tell her the toy goes away, and when she gets home she can have it for 10 mins.
If she starts to play up remind her that she won't have the toy is she doesn't behave....

Nicae · 20/09/2017 22:06

3 is definitely not too old for reins - you can sell them to her as being for big girls, the baby won't wear them as he/she will be too little, etc etc. My 2 are 18 months and coming up for 3 and we now go out with both of them on reins, I think they're a lifesaver - literally - sometimes.

NameChangeFamousFolk · 20/09/2017 22:09

I have a 3 year old who has just started chucking tantrums about various things. I think your responses were all well within the normal/actual real life range of stuff parents do, so don't be hard on yourself.

I wouldn't use reins with a 3 year old, but I wouldn't judge anyone for doing so!

BeatriceBeaudelaire · 20/09/2017 22:10

Reins

Goldmandra · 20/09/2017 22:10

I might have done things a little differently, e.g. after she had been so difficult about walking, I wouldn't have given her the choice to walk on the way back. No three year old is going to think "I can't commit to behaving well on the way home so I'd better jump in the pushchair." That sort of promise to behave isn't ever going to be meaningful.

It's a bit like telling a child they can have the treat if they promise to still eat their tea. Three year olds aren't able to live up to that sort of commitment.

In future I would just make that sort of decision for her and just tell her what's happening.

autumncoloursareus · 20/09/2017 22:15

When ds loses it completely I use cbeebies to break the hysteria. Once he's calm we move on to something else. It's fine. You are pregnant, and the odd short cut is not going to create a problem.

FindTheLightSwitchDarren · 20/09/2017 22:17

Thanks all.

Re the beach; I was perfectly happy for her to paddle. The problem was when it was time to go. I went to take her hand to help her out of the sea (stonyish beach). She trotted off and fell on her face! This wasn't somewhere warm, it was in a northern part of the uk. I had a jumper and jacket on. That's why, when she ran off again, I scooped her up and put her in the pram and marched home. She was utterly soaked. Didn't seem to care though tbf.

I really don't think she's being 'naughty'. But, I do want her to learn that there are consequences to inappropriate behaviour. I also want her to listen to me when I'm trying to stop her from doing something dangerous and I know that I am the one who has to teach her that... somehow Confused!

OP posts:
fizzandchips · 20/09/2017 22:19

I think you're doing an awesome job. You set the out your expectations and followed through with what you said you would do. Well done OP. I think her behaviour is normal and typical of her age and stage. It's exhausting, even when not pregnant.

BuffyFan · 20/09/2017 22:24

I think you played that better than I would have done! At the beach and on the road, safety absolutely had to come first, I'd only say that perhaps on the road you should have given her less leeway if anything.

I'm not a fan of reins as my experience has been that the kid falls over when they push against them. I'd favour the pushchair over reins, for all that it's cumbersome. And for all that I can see that giving her Peppa on your phone could look like an incentive to tantrum next time, the poor thing needed to calm down and you find a way to make her safe and keep your sanity. Well done you.

FindTheLightSwitchDarren · 21/09/2017 08:04

Thanks again everyone.

I do think it's partly down to how much she has going on at the moment. This only started recently.

So, I've decided to reduce her hours at nursery, from two full days to three mornings a week. I can't do anything about the new baby and she's doing so well with potty training that I don't want to change that either! Nursery is something I can change, so that's what I'll do.

DH thinks I'm mad and that I'll regret just having her do half days when the new baby arrives, but I think it's for the best. She'll get to socialise with other children and plenty of activity at nursery, but won't feel so pushed out (I hope).

OP posts:
willowtree62 · 21/09/2017 09:10

You could always try a wrist strap instead of full reins and continue to insist she holds your hand. At least then if she does pull away, she can't get too far.

CatsRidingRollercoasters · 21/09/2017 18:23

Sounds like a good plan! By the way I didn't mean I thought you should stop potty training! Just that it might partly explain her behaviour. My dd took a while to potty train successfully and reliably, and the potty training period was definitely the time of tantrums. She's 3.5 and fine now thank god.

FindTheLightSwitchDarren · 21/09/2017 21:36

Oh no worries cats, I got what you meant Smile!

I was just doing a checklist of what's going on in dd's life ATM which could be causing her stress (other than her just being a toddler and everything that goes with it). Potty training is definitely on there. She has been doing so brilliantly, but sometimes she gets really anxious about poos some aspects of it. I actually phoned a HV about it today and mentioned the tantrums too. She said much the same as everyone on here has and also that the poo thing is quite common too. She's getting someone else to phone me next week re tantrums; not because they are necessarily anything out of the ordinary, but just to give me some advice about dealing with them and calming her down.

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