I need some help y'all. My sweet sweet boy has decide he wants to be in charge.
For example, yesterday we were at target and he decided to throw a giant fit in the middle of the store because I was looking at my shopping list and not him. So I ended up having to carry him through the rest of the shopping trip. I do not want to be that mom with the kid screaming their head off as they shop. Then I got up to the register and had to put him back in his seat in order to unload the cart and he threw his water at the register then proceeded to take everything out of my wallet and throw it on the floor all while screaming and crying.
What do you do? I tried giving him a snack and he ate a whole pouch of food but then he didn't want anymore. He wouldn't take a toy either. I also brought him out a little after he ate lunch and he wasn't tired. I know he is just trying to become more independent but holy moly I was not expecting a major meltdown in the middle of shopping.
He also bites. Hard. Whenever he doesn't get what he wants. He will just come up and bite us to get us to move out of his way or take him where he wants to go. We have tried ignoring him, telling him that hurts and not to do it. But what kind of discipline can you do on a one year old going on 13? Have any of you experienced this? If so, what did you do to nip it in the butt before it got worse? I'm at a loss here. I'm sure his molars coming in doesn't help as he is in some pain but seriously it hurts and is totally not appropriate.
LB is definitely going to be a strong willed man. He already knows what he wants and how to get it. Now we just have to figure out how to teach him an appropriate way to get those things. I guess that is what parenting is about. Guiding and teaching your children how to be examples of Christ. Which include not biting people or throwing temper tantrums to get what you want. Oh the joys of parenthood.
http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/
ReplyDeleteThey are SO helpful in teaching biblical training methods. It WORKS! My B is a happy, obedient, girl at 17 months. She tried the biting, fit throwing but with consistent, loving training she is cheerful and responds to it.
Just look under the child training section.
Good luck!
I don't have any advise but I do know that my other friends who have kids in similar age are all going through that too!
ReplyDeleteOh man, that's tough! Behavior issues while shopping are the worst to deal with. I started doing timeouts with Celia at about 1 year- I would count to 3 to warn her that she needed to stop what she was doing, and if she didn't she would have a 1 minute timeout. Some kids might not get the concept at that age, but if you think LB would "get it", you could try timeouts. Start them at home, and once he gets it you can do them out of the house too. Luckily it doesn't happen often, but I do give timeouts in public if needed. I'll just calmly stop wherever we are and find a spot that's out of the way for Celia to sit. It usually nips the behavior right in the bud, it's quick, and it shows her that misbehavior in any place, home or not, will be treated the same way. I think consistency is really important.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! It's sometimes so harrowing to take little ones out in public!
Evie is the same way with the biting! I usually put her in the basket and let her stand and play with my stuff (and occasionally throw it out of the cart) but sometimes there are bad days!
ReplyDeleteWe have started time out for the biting. We put her in the room with the baby gate up and let her scream for one minute using one or two word phrases, like "no biting". Then we leave her alone. After a minute we come back, hug and tell her no biting. I'm not sure it is working but like with most kid things, maybe its repetition?
You have some great advice so I will just add what I try to keep in mind when it comes to discipline.
ReplyDelete1. Remember they are ppl/human too. They have emotions and maybe they aren't in the mood for you either. :)
2. Is this a hill to die on? So often we want to make our kids bend to OUR will, again they have wills/agendas of their own. Doesn't mean they get to assert it, but we need not make everything little thing a fight.
3. Don't ever feel bad about your kid screaming in Target you aren't alone in that every mommy out there has had this moment at some point. All I can say is remember those moments and when you see a momma dealing with it next time or in 30 years from now offer her that reassuring "i get it" look that she so desperately needs. Don't know about you but I hate when the "older women" give me this "control your kid" look, b/c evidently they NEVER had that happen to them.
Just be patient and hang in there consistency is always key.