16 month old DD. Tantrums!!

[GingerDoodle]

Hi

I know its common, especially form what i've read in girls, but how the hell do you cope?

In the last few days my normally cheerful girl has gone into full on toddler meltdowns and does so whenever she doesn't get her own way or get it fast enough.

I could have cried on the train this morning she she started for the second time - she didn't want in or out of the buggy, didn't want anything I offered so I sat there with her screaming and a train full of people silently judging.

I'm off to the Dr's to eliminate any medical reason this afternoon but any perils of wisdom would be very very gratefully received!

GD

Once you know there's nothing medical and you know she's not hungry, thirsty or tired, you could try distraction.

You'll soon be able to tell when a tantrum is building and will become queen of distraction. Oh look out the window, can you see the birds, planes, buses......

If walking, let's see how many red cars we can see. Race you to the next tree, is that a cat I can see............anything really, to take her mind off the tantrum.

This worked a treat with my DD, mostly. There is the odd occasion when she will not be distracted and sometimes she just has to work it out herself, then she gets a big hug. And if she understands you can see if there is a particular reason. Unfortunately, there's not much you can if it's because she wanted a straight banana.

And just, ignore any looks or tuts. The majority of people with children have been there at sometime. And do not change what you would normally do just to quiet those who are tutting.

There is nothing medically wrong. This is a normal stage.

I bet most weren't judging but were sitting there thinking about how they've been in your shoes too.

It does get better.

It's true - people are sitting there not looking at you and you think, shit, I'm being judged, but actually they're just thinking "oh poor woman, mine does/did that all the time".

What Dandelion said - and if you can show as much enthusiasm for the distraction as possible, that helps. Like, "wow, what was that? Was that... an aeroplane?" It only works if they're a certain point through the tantrum in my experience. They need to get some of it out of their system first.

I don't think it's a bad thing, a tantrum. Sometimes they just need to act out their frustration. I think the world would be a better place if we were all afforded the chance to have the occasional tantrum... I suspect a lot of the world's evil happens when people are angry and don't know it... (sorry went a bit philosophical then)

normal. For boys and girls.
At home I just ignore and DS will pick himself up after a few seconds when he realises it doesn't get him whatever it is he wants.

On the train I never go without snacks - a box or two of raisins and a tub of fruit. As long as he has food, generally DS is ok on the train.

DD was the same incidentally