How did you stop the screaming?

Okay, here's a question...

My 16-month-old daughter has just hit a fun new phase... Screaming. Screaming in frustration. Screaming for attention. Screaming for fun.

It's very loud.

Very.

Loud.

My husband and I don't react for the most part. We just calmly tell her "No screaming" and she doesn't get what she wants until she stops. If she's freaking out, we'll calming hold her until she stops. Again, firmly saying "no screaming."

But is this really going to work? It seems to be getting worse, not better.

I've already been advised to splash her in the face with water... But that just seems ridiculous... Isn't that how you discipline a cat?????? And why would I always have water on me????

Anyway, if you've been through this, I'd love to hear your story. Do I need to change tactics?

Jennifer

 

I don't have any specific advise, my girls go through this occasionally and depending on my mood (and where we are!) I'll pick them up and try whispering in their ears. That usually catches their attention to see what I'm saying. And if it's happy yelling...sometimes we all yell...just to be silly :blush: and that usually makes them start to giggle and then they're not screaming anymore!

I would however decidedly NOT advise you to splash water on the poor girl :blink:

 

I so totally sympathize! Both my kids went through the same phase [several times ]. At 15 months, not much worked except telling myself it was a passing phase. My daughter is not just loud, but very high pitched so I would remind her that it really hurt my ears. When the screaming returned at an older age, we started talking about inside vs. outside voices and "practicing" screaming outside and whispering inside. Whispering in and of itself is also a great way to re-direct the screaming.

Best of luck!

 

I always say, use your words when they start screaming! At all ages. Which is really funny, because my boys all have speech delays. But, they sign, and are usually able to get across what they want. I try to redirect the screaming by figuring out what they want, and then telling them how to let me know that's what they want (whether it is using a sign, or pointing, or whatever).

Now, when they scream when they are older, that is a whole other thing! My ds1 is 4, and sometimes just screams in frustration or whatever. He gets a chance to stop, then gets a chance to go to his room, and if he doesn't comply, he gets a drop of vinegar in his mouth. There is absolutely no reason he needs to scream loudly except for the negative attention it gets, so he gets his consequence...and it works. He usually doesn't scream for another few months until he forgets how much he hates that vinegar in his mouth!