On being a toddler
July 25, 2006At the lovely age of twenty months, I think Widget has decided to start the horrible part of having a toddler.
Go for a walk in the stroller? No. Ride in the cart? No. Ride in her carseat? No. Come inside? No. Eat something? No. Can’t do what she wants, she screams, kicks, thrashes around, whether I’m holding her or she’s on the floor. We can be at home, running errands, at the grandparents, it doesn’t matter. Nor apparently does it matter if she’s had a long enough nap, eaten anything, had a good night’s sleep.
And on the eating thing, apparently the only edible foods are bread, “cookies” (animal crackers), corn, peas, and maybe a banana or applesauce. And only a small quantity of those get consumed, everything else ends up on the floor or thrown across the table.
All I keep thinking is that I have no idea how to handle these situations. Yeah, the parenting books/magazines I’ve read, so far have generated no real help when she is having a meltdown. Somedays it almost makes me wonder how I’m ever going to get through this without constantly bribing her with the only thing that “calms” her- videos.
I am with you on this one. Buddy is four in a few days and he still throws big ones quite often. It is exhausting. I am learning again that every kid is different, and what works with one is no good with another. Hang in there, some day they grow up!
Oh, I’m not looking forward to this stage with Snuggle Bug, but I know it’s coming!
I have no advice to offer, but I’m sending hugs your way! Keep posting about this. I want to hear what strategies you come up with!