Um… guys. This parenting thing gets HARDER as they get older? Did none of you think to tell me that?
Oh, no. You were all “you can do this” when she was itty bitty and had hours every evening where she fussed and cried and I walked miles up and down the halls of my house. And then, when she wouldn’t nap, you were all supportive saying that she’d get better and I was doing the right thing even if that meant she had to cry or if I had to stand on my head to get her to sleep.
Stupid supportive internet. None of you told me to just zip it because in a few months putting her down for a nap would be the easy part of my day.
That somewhere around nine months old, she’d start moving faster than I could keep up with her and that she’d put her fingers in places (like the door jamb) where I could pinch them. Or that if I turned my back to her for a second to put my bra away, she would find the foil cap cover thing from the diaper rash cream and put it in her mouth, prompting an early evening call to the pediatrician.
And you didn’t tell me that the next day, I would dive across the bed, with one pant leg on and one off, and grasp her by the ankle, in just the nick of time, to keep her from nose diving off the other side.
I was prepared for the meltdowns that would occur when I took away a toy or told her no, but I didn’t know taking the remote could turn my happy, easy-going child into a sobbing heap on the floor. Or, when she didn’t want to move but I picked her up anyway, she’d learn how to raise her arms and make her body go limp so that she’d all but fall right back to the floor.
I think we have officially entered the stage of temper tantrums.
Send wine.
And, go ahead, tell me that it will be worse when she’s two, or seven, or thirteen. I need to be prepared.
{ 12 comments }
Oh boy! I can relate! My DD went through a crazy tantrum phase around 15 months. It was all tantrums all the time. But now, at 18 months, she rarely has them. Almost never. I can’t say this will continue, and I don’t have any other kids, so I can’t give you a glimpse into the future. All I can say is hang in there!
I found that my daughter was far more likely to have a tantrum when she was tired or hungry. And those two things can be fixed easily. Also, when she was having a tantrum, we found that ignoring her had the best results. And we tried all kinds of “methods.” Once it was over, I always offered her a hug. Then she was fine and went on with her day.
Good luck!
Oh yes the tantrums. I like to dub my son as a more dramatic diva than Kanye West. He has this way of becoming paralyzed in shopping stores. Like he throws himself on the floor and when you try to get him to stand his legs don’t work.
Or like yesterday he was palying in the mud and I said no more, he took the dogs water dish and thre it at my head. He lovese me so
Good to know I’m not the only one with a future academy award winner!
Awww, sounds like you have been busy! I won’t lie, it doesn’t get any easier, my son is 2.5 years old and oh my goodness we are running non-stop. He’s learning new words (not all are sweet) and is developing a little bit of an attitude. He is exploring new things and thinks that he is indestructible…hopefully little girls are easier (for your sake).
Bring on the wine!
I’m totally not qualified enough yet to advise on this, but it is nice to know I am not alone! Most specifically the remote, I’ve actually gone to our cable company and gotten another! True story, it looks just like the “real” one but doesn’t have batteries. Our new spot for the remote is behind the couch cushions and we have to change the channels all stealth like so our son doesn’t see….Did you ever think you’d see the day when flipping channels would take such planning?!
Yes. tantrums suck. I’m right there with you. Last weekend we dragged her screaming out of Lowes because I dared to tell her she couldn’t pull all the boxes off the shelf.
Fun stuff.
Krista,
I say this ALL THE TIME!! I thought it was tough taking care of our daughter when she was an infant. 19 months old – lady, for us, this has been the toughest age … the beginning of discipline! As a high school teacher I see daily what I want my child NOT to be, so I’m so paranoid of screwing her up. Who knew that feeding, changing, and clothing an infant was the easy part?!? Hang in there … as it gets more challenging, it gets way more rewarding too!!
I too, will not tell you it gets better. My four year old threw herself down in the floor of a boutique today and I am still not sure why. The thing is just as you think you have figured the formulas, she goes and changes the rules on you. This mothering thing is an enigma.
tantrums are one of many reasons why my daughter does not have a sibling, and there are no immediate plans for a sibling. she is 3 … it gets worse before it gets better. esp when they start talking. however, with the bad there is the good & wonderful. like hearing them say “I love you mama”
Okay, it gets easier, in that you get to know your baby, and then it gets harder because your baby needs a different kind of attention, and then it DOES get easier, in that your baby becomes a child and you don’t have to hold them ALL day. Or maybe it just becomes different.
My son is almost 4 months. Crap. This is post is not good news!
Ya, it doesn’t get easier. My son is 4 years old, and he is now just getting done with tantrums. He used to have them ALL the time when we went shopping, and I dreaded taking him. Oh, and he only had tantrums with ME. Not when my SIL took him, not with my husband, ME. So, I have absolutely NO plans to have another. I would love a sibling for him, but to go through the tantrums again, I don’t think so. Plus, it definitely is hard to keep up with them. They are so full of energy ALL THE TIME!
As soon as I feel like I’ve got it down, she does somethine new… like crawling. I can’t keep up with her! And she gets in to everything. Then wines and cries for no apparent reason sometimes. Lord help us! And if you figure any of this out, let me know!
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