I Love Temper Tantrums
I love temper tantrums, they just give me the warm fuzzies. There is nothing more that I love than Sayle announcing to everyone within a five mile radius that I am the meanest mother in the world and I have ruined his little life by refusing to allow him to do something. I am the meanest mom on the planet, I know this.
I also love the looks that I get from other people who witness the tantrum. Some shoot me the sympathy look, which is a warm smile of knowing and understanding what it feels like to be in my shoes. I smile back to these people; for they too have experienced how difficult it is to chase a toddler down who is making a bee-line to a busy parking lot in high heels and a skirt.
Others shoot me the how-could-you-make-your-child-cry look. They usually get manipulated by Sayle’s tearful blue eyes and academy award winning sobs and say “aww,” then scowl at me, the meanie. Apparently, allowing Sayle to run into a busy parking lot is appropriate and being the meanie that I am for discouraging such behavior, I’m hindering his development. I smile at those people too, while I imagine what kind of parents they are.
In all seriousness, I welcome temper tantrums and the unnecessary dramatics because it means I’m doing my job right. There are rules in life; number one being you can’t always get what you want. At 17-months, its okay to throw a temper tantrum as not getting what you want is a hard lesson to learn, especially when you want to play in the toilet. I’m not going to allow Sayle to turn into a teenage brat who thinks he can have everything he wants. Realistically, it would be easier for me to just allow Sayle to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. I could sit on my butt all day and watch him develop into a disrespectful child with a sense of entitlement who expects immediate gratification. Tragically, he was born to a mean, proactive, and involved parent who starts teaching rules early!
I care enough about Sayle to take time out of my busy schedule to be mean and to tell him no. I don’t let him run around in unsafe areas, I don’t let him climb on dangerous things, and I don’t let him play with sharp objects because I want to be mean by keeping him safe. It’s cool when he screams so loud that glass shatters around us, because he is screaming at the top of his lungs that MY MOM IS KEEPING ME SAFE!
Finally, these little toddler tantrums are only getting me ready for the “I hate you” and “you are ruining my life” that I’m sure I will hear as he gets older and I won’t let him go to a frat party when he’s 15. I know I used that as a last resort while I was growing up, especially when I wasn’t getting my way, so I will be prepared.
So parents, do not be afraid of temper tantrums, celebrate them! Temper tantrums are just reassurance from your child that you’re doing things correctly! And remember, you would much rather be picking your toddler up from the floor they have so eloquently thrown themselves upon in a screaming fit now, rather than having drama like that when they are 13 years old. Then people will REALLY be looking at you!
Oh the infamous Saylefish tantrum…I have been a witness to some of these delightful things at daycare, and man that kid can scream bloody murder! People pop their heads in to make sure I am not torturing him, nah, I just wouldn’t let him climb on the stairs (: Can’t wait for Isaac to start these; I think they are kinda cute as long as I can tune them out!
LOVED reading this blog….so sweet!!!
I love temper tantrums too and we celebrate about a million a day at this point! Great blog, Brooke! I never thought about it that way!
Sarah-You sound about as mean as I do! How dare you not let him climb the stairs! I’m glad someone else knows exactly how distressed he becomes when he isn’t allowed to do something he wants to do. I can’t wait for Isaac to start doing these as well, as soon as he is walking watch out!
Bindu-thanks! I know you’re referring to blog as being sweet and not me-I know better!
Cheryl-I am so glad you got the line of thinking that I am using! Every time Sayle starts up that is how I think about the situation rather than allowing it to do my head in.
PS-we’ve been celebrating temper tantrums for the past two days, I’m really getting ready to go buy some balloons. Ugh~
[...] blogged about temper tantrums before, remember, I love them. I’m totally okay with the screaming and crying. BUT, as Sayle approaches the terrible twos, [...]