To laugh at the ridiculousness

[Newmama93]

Ok, i feel like a really bad Mum about this and I’m not even sure why I laugh!

My baby gets so hysterical in the car he has a full blown tantrum, he’ll smack me away, kick, scream and makes these horrific noises. He’ll cough, gag but it’s so over the top and hysterical I end up laughing and saying come on buddy, you are OK.

I don’t know why I laugh because I find it distressing and actually avoid the car unless I have to. I’m feeling guilty about laughing at it but I think I feel so stressed and powerless I just have to laugh or I’ll cry. Anyone else catch yourself laughing at your child’s over dramatic tantrums sometimes? My child can’t see that I laugh, I sneaky do it like it’s just like a shocked kind of laugh at the over the top tantrum my child has over a 10 min car trip! I’m not even finding it funny as I’m so beyond stressed.

I do this. It's definitely a stress reaction for me. I don't actually find it remotely funny but any situation that is intense or makes me stressed or anxious (so yes, baby/toddler tantrums when they were small), I either smile or laugh. I fucking hate it. It's such a horrible, uncontrollable response that is so at odds with how you actually feel and people who don't experience it can obviously be extremely judgemental which makes it more stressful and makes the whole situation worse.

I laugh when mine hurts herself or had a tantrum. It’s a nervous reaction and I hate it.

I do this too! But I was so stressed the WHOLE car trip that in the end when he kept whailing at me I just had to laugh... laugh or id cry. Now I’m like what’s wrong with me to laugh about my child in distress, so confusing. I do everything I can to prevent the crying but sometimes when it’s out of my control I just have to laugh at how crazy angry he can get.

I think it's an ingrained biological response to signal to other people that there is no real danger. Please don't feel guilty for it.

I laugh at the worst situations as well, to the point my friend didn’t tell me her cat had died as she knew I’d laugh

I feel so much better ! I felt really upset writing this and thought people would say o was crazy. Thanks so much

My daughter is coming upto 9 months and I always make a thing of laughing when she falls over. Its worked a treat though as she very rarely cries when she does fall now and ends up laughing with me!