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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

when did your dc start having tantrums?

16 replies

mootie · 15/07/2007 10:49

Can a 13.5-month-old have tantrums? I think my dd might be, as there doesn't seem to be any other explanation for her flights of hysterics. I feel confident I know how to cope with tantrums - ignore them, or offer distraction - but is she old enough to be ignored when she shrieks? What has been your experience?

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NAB3 · 15/07/2007 11:04

10 months

Lizzylou · 15/07/2007 11:08

OOh yes, DS2 has been having some doozies for ages and is still only 16mths.
DS1 had a few throwing himself on floor moments but proper tantrums only started when he was 2yrs old (on his birthday, at the zoo, there were no tigers as we'd promised him as they had died, try explaing that one to a 2 yr old with his face in the pavement!).

rookiemum · 15/07/2007 11:14

My DS is 15 mths and about a month ago started proper beating the floor, hysterical crying tantrums. Mostly I just laugh quietlybecause he is quite funny and they are over such ridiculous things, like wanting to open the fridge door 9000 times in a row.

Blueblob · 15/07/2007 21:18

My eldest 9 / 10 months for good old hysterical back arching screaming. Younger one was more around 18 months for smaller ones, 2 for more hysterical back arching screaming. He's a more laid back kinda guy.

MuffinMclay · 16/07/2007 10:27

About 10 months for mini tantrums. Now at 14 months he has full on tantrums - thrashing limbs, hysterics etc. They are currently brought on by nappy-changing, bathtime, me stopping him playing with the grill, dishwasher, washing machine etc. We haven't had any out and about yet, but I'm sure that will happen soon.

I'm not having much success with distraction, and am trying to ignore. I'd love to know any top tips for dealing with this.

amidaiwish · 16/07/2007 11:00

DD2 has been having tantrums since she turned 1.
when she starts i just lay her on the floor (if she isn't there already!) and let her kick /scream / shout about.
i walk away or get on with whatever i was doing, 100% ignoring her. including one in Tescos last week.

it really is the only way once they've gone into one. but you have to ignore it completely and utterly, don't look at them, leave the room.

i can see already she is realising they are a waste of time and they are getting shorter and less frequent (she is now 21m).

krang · 16/07/2007 19:38

I'm doing the ignore thing with DS (17 months). If he's lying on the floor I just put a cushion under his head then walk away and do something. Normally I'll quietly say what I'm doing 'Oh, I've got to clean the floor. Do you want to help Mummy clean the floor?" Then I offer him the dustpan, which he loves. You get the idea. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't and he SCREAMS like a maniac. But I've tried timing his outbursts and it's weird, they're never as long as I think they'll be!

The one thing I don't do is offer food or sweets or TV. Really trying not to go there...Reckon ignore/distract is the way to go, for my DS anyway. (Reassuring to know we're not alone, by the way, have been worrying about these sudden tantrums a bit...where's my happy little boy gone?)

UniSarah · 16/07/2007 19:53

11 months. total meltdowns when thwarted, then i realised he was hungrey when it happend, up teh food intake ansd tehy reduced in frequency. still happen sometimes tho. hes a head banger.

MoosMa · 16/07/2007 20:03

On and off since about 1 I think but getting more intense now that she's 22 months. I ignore her and talk about something else to DH if he's there (whilst trying not to laugh as she looks so funny trying so hard to look angry!). Most of the time it's about her not being able to make herself understood or me being mean by not letting her kill herself in one way or another.

ow82 · 16/07/2007 20:05

1, around 14 months ish we had the full on screams esp worse around 15 months now at 16.5 months he lays himself quietly on the floor haed in hands for a minute or so then gets up we have a cuddle and all is fine again no more screams. we have ignored him, and still do, but after the tantrum he has a cuddle don't know if that is the right thing to do or not. distraction always made him worse.

ow82 · 16/07/2007 20:07

(alos don't know if this is right but when he started the tantrum - his body would go limp if I was trying to move him so I did lay him on the floor - prob encouraged that bit but he's in the middle of the room and not likely to harm himself if that makes sence).

pointydog · 16/07/2007 20:13

SHortly after turning 1

MuffinMclay · 16/07/2007 21:01

Bad mother alert....

Ds went into complete meltdown after his bath tonight as I was attempting to dry him, put on a nappy and pyjamas etc. He ended up lying on the ground thrashing around, red in the face etc. I decided to calmly ignore him until this episode had passed. Ds got up, staggered around the room, still sceaming his head off, and walked straight into a door. He now has a huge bruise on his forehead.

tasja · 16/07/2007 21:02

same as pointydog

MoosMa · 16/07/2007 21:51

MuffinMclay, maybe he will be more careful next time!

If DD is in a place where she might hurt herself by thrashing (eg in the bathroom, it's very small) I hold her facing away from me with my arms round her middle so she can't hurt me or herself.

Naartjie · 16/07/2007 22:25

Mine was about 8 months.

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