But I'm not done ranting about tantrums yet because...
I am not the only one who loves our new lightweight stroller.
Our 20-month (J) loves to sit in this thing. But when he's done sitting, he wants to come out and push the stroller. We were at the mall, and he pushed the stroller into a department store. He got it stuck in some clothing racks. He.Got.Frustrated. He threw a fit. I carried him out of the store. He cried and screamed. Since it was Spring Break, lots of parents and kids got a show.
This was not my first time with this type of tantrum. There were similar ones at the zoo just five days earlier.
Here's how it all played out.
We went outside. He pulled at the stroller. I pulled back.
I tried to get down on his level and explain that he needed my help with the stroller, or he couldn't push it.
After 20 min, we went back inside. He pushed the stroller. He got back in the stroller. He got back out.
I removed the canopy so he could see and possibly push faster. He got upset at that.
I had to carry him screaming to the food court. I put him in the stroller. I wondered if I should order food or just go home.
I got food.
He writhed in the stroller. He cried. He screamed.
When we got to the table, I pulled him out of the stroller. He put his face in my lap, and I gave him a hug and told him I was sorry he was upset. It was rather sweet.
He ate some chicken.
We headed home.
The worst part of the whole thing was how unable I was to talk him out of the tantrum. I've shared before how research has shown that we should let him play-out his tantrums, but that wasn't working. Sigh.
When tantrums happen, do you let them play out?
Do you distract them?
Do you talk to them?
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