tantrums

WOW - I just realized I only have 2 more weeks in the first year group

Anyhow - my question of the day is tantrums. It has started - yuck! W will throw a fit if he doesnt get what he wants – this used to be easy for the most part if I wouldn’t let him push his brother down or take his toy away I would give him another toy and we would be fine. Not now – he lays on the floor and cries for a good 5 minutes. How do you handle tantrums?

How much do you referee? I have no problem letting them work it out although W does tend to be the “bully” and is bigger than G – but I think I need to step back a bit more and let them sort it out.

 

Usually if one twin takes a toy from the other twin and it upsets her then I make the offender give the toy back and wait her turn.

And I ignore tantrum throwing.

 

Tantrums are fun and such a big part of the 2nd year :catfight: I actually let mine work it out... but I do step in when one is getting hurt. At that age I mostly re-directed, and took the toy of interest away from both. I let mine throw tantrums... They get better when they realize they aren't getting attention. My daughter is quite a bit smaller then her brother and he's the bully but she's learned to manipulate him and can easily win the battle by tricking him.
I think that consistency is the key... Good luck!

 

I try to ignore tantrums to the best of my ability, as long as they are safe, I let them have at it. I have found the best I ignore them, the less in duration they are. I still do redirect them when I can. Brigette is right consistency is definitely the key.

 

I'm also one who ignores tantrums. I have found over the years that it's the only thing that really works, any kind of attention from me during a tantrum, it just gets worse. As for refereeing, I don't do too much of that either. I try to let them work it out (sometimes with a few suggestions from me) as long as no one is being hurt.

 

I ignore here and redirect as well. :good:

 

At that age, I ignored the "I want" tantrums. Sometimes they are tantruming because they really need something (food, an ice pack, etc.), but if they were just mad because I wouldn't let them have something, I just totally ignored them -- I would even step right over them on the floor. It was a pretty short phase at that age.

I did usually referee between them, though. I just don't think very young toddlers (still babies, really) have the skills to "work it out" without direct supervision and mediation. We started working on taking turns (they also learned this very early at daycare), not hitting, etc., but just leaving them to fight it out is too Lord of the Flies for my taste.

 

I found at that age it was easier to redirect Jake (whether he was the toy stealer or not...usually not). Evidently I did that so well that Ryan (my toy thief) soon began bringing Jake a toy so he could steal the one Jake was already playing with. :lol: Now they both do it! I ignore tantrums as well. Jake has an ear piecing scream that is difficult to ignore, but we manage to do it.