My DS is nearly two and for several months now has cried whenever another child touches anything that he's even remotely interested in. For example, if we are at the park and he has been on the swings but is now on the slide, if he sees another child going on the swings he will scream and stamp his feet at them. Or if he goes down the slide and sees another child at the top of the slide, he will have a complete fit.
If he is playing with a gate and someone has the temerity to walk through it, they get screamed at too. And recently, this screaming has taken on an extra high pitch, sometimes with foot stamping, sometimes with full on tears.
It is getting really embarrassing, so many mothers admonish their children assuming they've done something to upset him when actually they have done nothing more than been near something that he wants.
I ignore, I distract, I tell him that the other child is allowed to go on the slide and that he has to wait his turn, but he seems to be getting worse than better. I have never seen any other child persistently behave in this ridiculous way over everything.
It's doing my head in. If we are at the park, my heart sinks if another child turns up because I know there will be a scene. I am constantly apologising for him.
Any ideas how to hasten the demise of this really annoying habit?