On the plane from New Caledonia to Sydney (a three hour flight, for which I was with you solo) you started throwing your head back, wailing and arching your body when I tried to keep you from hitting the tray table in front of us. Needless to say, you were M.A.D. and downright pissed off that I wouldn’t let you do what you wanted. Luckily the back of the plane was virtually empty, so before things got too out of hand, we moved.
As you banged away I thought to myself, I’m usually not one to “give in” that easily, but I was on my own and hadn’t experienced this type of outrage from you before and at 30,000 feet, I know better than to argue with a toddler.
Since that first episode, you have become quite the little pro at what I can only label as The Temper Tantrum, or The Ultimate Meltdown. When you want something, you want it NOW!!
Oh joy….
Is this how these episodes begin?? I (naively) thought that these outbursts debuted during the infamous Terrible Twos? Could they be a whole year early, and how long do I have to put up with them if they are?
I get it… I think. Toddlers seem to understand WAY more than they can express. I can’t even imagine not being able to communicate your needs, wants or desires. Even if hitting the tray table in front of you is completely out of the question. As your language skills improve, is it safe to assume that these tantrums will decrease? Please offer me some hope before I have a kicking, screaming, back arching fit of my own.
I found this interesting blurb in the April 2010 issue of Parenting magazine:
Apparently, caving to a tantrum-throwing toddler is in our DNA. In a study conducted by scientists from London’s Roehampton University, mother rhesus monkeys gave in to their shrieking infants only 39% of the time when pair was alone, but a whopping 81% of the time when strangers were listening.
Uh, yeah, is all I have to say about that. When your child acts out and you appear out of control, it’s completely embarrassing. Let’s just say, I’ve done a lot more deep breathing andcounting to 10 since I became a mother.
The best is yet to be.
Day 77/100
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Just remember that all other moms that see it happening (a) aren't bothered by it and (b) are totally empathizing with you!!
Tantrums are the worst! One thing that helped when Tater was little that we had started teaching him some basic sign language signs so that he could try to tell us what the problem was – and it worked, some of the time!
Other moms get it and other people will never understand in any sense of the word. Just like single people don't understand the concept of "bedtime".
But those rhesus monkeys really did make me feel a lot better just now.
(Over based on Mommy of a Monster's award…)
Oh wow Tonya…I can't even imagine dealing with something like this on a plane!!! I have also heard that tantrums start in the "terrible twos"…maybe Lucas is just maturing at a faster pace! I remember my mom telling me that one time, my brother threw a tantrum in a mall, and he just threw himself down on the floor and started screaming…and she just walked away from him and let him get it out. And this was just last week! lol..kidding, but this really happened.
Tantrums can start any time between 1-4! We had rare tantrums at two but now that our son is three, he has WAY more meltdowns then before and his vocab is awesome, so he can verbalize his issues. It's just silly that he freaks out instead of talking to us. But then again, he is just 3.
One of his most spectacular meltdowns happened at the Happiest Place on Earth – that's right, my kid went ballistic at Disneyland during the crowded summer- who does that, it's a happy place!?! I just set him gently down on the ground, in as quiet an area I could find, and let him get it all out. I was with two friends and their daughter and all of us just watched him until he calmed down. It was kinda funny and it happens to every parent.
Of course, a major meltdown on an airplane is not something I'd want to deal with so you have my sympathy there!
Thanks for the comments and follow! I'm now following you back.
I love the idea of writing these letters to your son!
I prefer sitting in the back of planes when I have the kids. The hum of the engine helps to drown out noise.
That random monkey fact is pretty cool, too.
ha! This is funny in a I-don't-have-one kind of way. Which is odd because I swear I've had a couple "kicking, screaming, back arching fit(s) of my own" too!!!
I haven't seen Lucas have one of these temper tantrums yet but I cannot imagine they are pleasant at all!
Remember that Christmas video we watched several years ago of me having my very own temper tantrum because you were playing with my gifts that Santa brought me? Not a pretty sight at all..
Well, let's hope Lucas has more blissfully happy moments then angry pissed off ones.. : )