Illogical reasons for tantrums in toddlers. Share with me please.

[Spottyotter]

Out for a walk today. My ds threw an absolute wobbler because the flock of seagulls on the seafront had the sheer audacity to fly off when he chased them.

He then proceeded to fill the front of his sandals with sand, looked up at me as if I was responsible for this horrendous crime screaming at the top of his voice "Mummygetitout'! Mummygetitout!"

was not sure wether to piss myself with laughter or be embarrased.

Reasons for recent tantrums in my 2 and a bit year old:
I stole her bogies by wiping her nose- she screamed 'I want my bogies back'
Helping her to get in the car/ climb on her bed/ put on her shoes -helping with anything really . Evil mother!
Getting put to bed. The cheek of it.
Asking her to come out her bedroom when she wakes up in the morning cause she is being too noisy for her sleeping big sis (this happened at 6.30 this morning). Lovely start to the day.

Just read another post and reminded me .... yes also broken bananas are not a good idea in our house.

My dd just started stamping her foot whilst whilst yelling 'i'm not' (insert any command of your pleasure). Today she raised her foot so high for maximum impact she fell over backwards.

Apparently it was not even a little bit funny!!

DS1, 2.6:

(After eating alphabetti spaghetti for tea)
"Mummy I don't want any more letters"
Me: "OK, shall I put the rest in the bin then?"
(DS1 nods)
Me: "Are you sure?"
DS1: "OK Mummy"
I put the leftovers in bin
DS1: (Wails) "MY LETTERS! I WANT THEM BACK! GIVE ME THEM BAAAAAACK!!"

Phew - thought that broken bananas were just us! Also broken biscuits and breadsticks always precipitate a major meltdown for DS1 (nearly 2.5). Today's biggie was over DS2's yogurt lid - I had the nerve to scrape said yogurt off said lid and feed it to him. Cue DS1 howling "want to lick lid", spinning round and round like a dervish before plonking himself down on his bum and sobbing for the next 45 minutes. Also major tantrum should DS2 touch anything of his, or if daddy does anything for him - anything daddy does do must be undone by daddy so that mummy can do it instead. Horrendous.

DS (15mo) chose our recent holiday as the perfect time to develop some food-related temper issues. Here are some of the things mummy did wrong:

• Tried to feed me instead of letting me do it myself. This meant that I would only eat finger food as I struggle with spoons on my own.

• Tried to cut up my food. I wanted to eat the pancake, but it became inedible as soon as mummy touched it.

• Looked at me while I was eating. Sausages can only be eaten if you are NOT being watched.

• Looked as if she might be even thinking about helping interfering in some way.

If mummy dared to contravene any of these (or many other) new and complex rules, mealtime would immediately cease and inconsolable screaming would ensue.

He does seem a bit more relaxed now we are home [deeply relieved emoticon].

The other day while having a lovely afternoon tea with my 20mth old boy at a cafe, I made the unforgiveable error of breaking his smartie cookie in half so he could get a better grip. WELL! If that wasn't a crime against humanity! After the longest 2 minutes of my life with attempts to put the cookie back together, only for T to wail louder when it broke in half again, I headed to the counter to buy a second cookie only to be met with glaring eyes from 4 other mummys! 'I broke his cookie in half' I wimpered.... Apparently I am the only mother in the world that doesn't know it's a BAD THING to break the sacred cookie!! I know it now - believe me!

Oh yes. You don't touch the food in any way. Or only after being repeatedly begged to, checking three times that he really wants you to, waiting a bit and checking again. And even then you'll have done it the wrong way...

I am reading this whilst crying with laughter. And relief that ds2 is normal lol. Yesterday we had...

DS2: ohhh neck Mamma
ME: Yes darling it is a lovely necklace
DS2: Mineeeeeeeeeee
ME: Yes it is yours
DS2: Nooooooooooo (pulling crucifix off his neck)
I picked it up put it on the side cue 35 minutes of sobbing crying shouting head banging
"Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Neckkkkkkkkkk Mamma"

Then I dared to cut his saveloy up at dinner time his response was "nooooo mamma bin"
"No duce lolate nowwwwwwwww"

DInner time I get "Siiiiiiiiiiiiittttt" at which point i am mean to sitttttt on the floor with ds2, ds1 and dp to eat dinner, followed by him walking round us all saying "offffff" and us having to take our tops off before he will eat if we don't he goes into major meltdown.

we have the banana thing as well.

My very favourite was on ds1's birthday my sister was here with my mum and nephews. Well us growed ups had a bottle of wine. So ds2 walks up to my sister, looks at her smiles pours his juice out of his cup onto the floor points at her wine and asks "a bitttt" when she dares to say no he had a major meltdown because "ni ni a bittttttttttttttt now" we didn't know whether to laugh or cry he was in a major meltdown at this point.

I so don't remember ds1 being like this,

DD, having previously loved all vehicles, yesterday decided, in the middle of a busy road, that she is scared of cars. So she stopped and refused to move. I had my hands full of shopping and just had enough hand left to hold hers, so there was no way I could have carried her. Cue DD screaming and pointing at the cars that by now were waiting patiently for us to cross. She kept shouting "scared of cars, cars coming, going to get me" and it took me about ten minutes that felt like hours to persuade/drag her to the pavement, at which point she completely broke down. Luckily DP was off work that day and so could come and meet us and help carry shopping and screaming toddler home.

Of course, as soon as DP arrived, it was all smiles and running to daddy. And no more mention of the sudden car phobia.

Today the problem was that Mummy had got shorts out to wear.

The crime being that Mummy didn't realise what an important difference there is between shorts and trousers. In Mummy's world, shorts are just a more comfortable version of trousers in hot weather. In ds' world, shorts are the work of the devil while thick winter trousers are the only thing to be seen in.

I refused to back down though on the T-shirt in favour of a long sleeved top and jumper (his choice). A stroppy toddler is one thing but a hot and stroppy toddler is a completely different matter .

Clearly DS is just getting into his stride, as he's 17 months, but he does throw a wobbly if I take a teeny bite of his cheese before giving it to him. Nooooo! I think it's as much to do with the stick of cheese then being ruined and spoilt as because I ate some of his snack...

He also cries/screams if a bird he was chasing admiring flies off...

DS1 wants to be first going up the stairs/first in the bath/first out of the bath/etc. but if I get fed up with waiting for him and dare to set off without him/put DS2 in the bath first, he goes into meltdown. I don't know what will happen when DS2 actually wants to be first too.

DH broke a glass today. Major tantrum from DS1 when DH wrapped the pieces up and put them in the bin: "I want it. Not in the bin ..." Having read this thread I just sat and laughed at him - it makes life so much more fun to see every tantrum as an opportunity for humour. Even the broken banana ones.

So yesterday we were at DS cousins for an hour.

Aunty had bought them both a camping chair and got DS's out to show him.

So obviously they had a scrap about who was going to sit in it. Aunty went and fetched cousins chair, placed it next to DS's chair so they could both have one.

Half an hour later, DS sobbing and leaking snot, we managed to get the chairs put away and drag DS home. Heaven forbid cousin should put a HAND on the arm of DS chair, or try to swap chairs, or sit in DS chair whilst DS is off playing with cars / trains / books / puzzles etc etc !!

Thank god I can laugh about it & stay calm thanks to this thread !

I was woken yesterday morning by dd getting very cross indeed because I had rolled over and squashed the very, very tiny llamas who were learning to walk on my pillow.

What cracks me up every time is that dd has realised that throwing herself on the floor during a tantrum actually hurts, so she will lie on the floor carefully and slowly lower her head backwards to lie down, then carry on with the kicking and screaming... Hard not to laugh!

Lol at the tiny llamas !

DS went into hysterics this morning when DH took off his dressing gown and got back into bed.

We presumed this was because he wanted to go downstairs, but apparently not, DH in bed, in his dressing gown, was fine, out of his dressing gown - hysterics! - very odd!

I gave DS apple juice in the blue cup.
he said he wanted milk.
I threw away the juice and gave him milk in the blue cup.
he insisted he wanted the green cup

put the milk in green cup
says he wants apple juice!!!
I gave him apple juice in one and milk in the other and that wasn't good enough.

We were at my parent's place so I was trying to keep the peace - I think he knew it and was seeing how far he could push me!

Mon13, mine used to do that as well! It was so difficult not to giggle, when they are clever enough not to hurt themselves, but silly enough to think it will have the same effect!

ok- my toenails an orange red colour- my daughter (22 mnths) 'ooooo mummy red toes pretty, me av pink please mummy'

i of course say mayb in 15 years darling!

que tantrum!!

also for licking slide at play ground!

and saying she couldnt drive my car wen she asked!! hahaha

DP carried him up for bathtime - complete meltdown.. poor dp has just got back from 2 weeks abroad and just wanted to help.

Putting nappy on him...

Cleaning teeth....

argghh

(he does have pink toenails tho )

I haven't read the whole thread but my DD had a tantrum today because I would't buy her a motorbike. It was one of those ones that actually goes. Also then got upset at not being allowed a fire engne-a real one. She was saying "my bee bor".

omg....i'm not the only person being forced to sit under a blanket whilst being marched around by a naked (bar wellies a size too small rescued from the charity bag), 2 year old, (singing 'alright now' by free....honestly this doesnt reflect my life that much...personally i'm usually attired differently and not treating my mother to a first hand 'lord of the flies' experience when i break into 'rock classics'!)...when refusing was just going to involve a full on 2 part tantrum (and i'de only have a supporting role), i retreated dutifully under the blanket, whilst clutching a 'marie claire' and a glass of wine, by that point anything for peace and it was HILARIOUS to be fair. My dd also has tantrums (again only when shes ill now at 2 and 8mths)over the suspected abuse of (invisible)teeny tiny animals etc...like when i washed an invisible bob the builder by accident....aaah well at least now ive read all these i dont feel alone in being trapped by a gorgeous but insane despot!