Lesley has a twenty two month old toddler who recently began having ‘temper tantrums’. She feels helpless and embarrassed when this happens and is looking for some advice on helping herself and her daughter cope with these difficult times.
“I’ve heard about the ‘terrible twos’ but always thought… how terrible can they really be? Well, yesterday I found out first hand. My twenty two month old, Gabrielle, had a major temper tantrum right there in the middle of the supermarket. I was surprised more than anything, because up until now she has been such an agreeable, sweet child. She started to unravel when I told her she couldn’t have some sweets at the checkout. She started screaming and stomping her feet like a mad child and I honestly didn’t know what to do. I tried picking her up to calm her down but she just screamed louder and started kicking her feet. This went on the entire time I was trying to pack the shopping! I felt so helpless because couldn’t calm her down and I was also so embarrassed. I felt like everyone was staring at us wondering what I had done to my child to make her act this way. The elderly cashier tried to make me feel better by telling me not to worry too much, that it was just normal toddler behavior. I’m not certain it was normal, but I was relieved when we finally got out of the shop and she calmed down on the way to the car. I told my husband last night that after Gabrielle’s tantrum yesterday, I am afraid to take her out in public again. I could really use some advice on what to do if this happens again, if this is normal toddler behavior, and find out how long these tantrums usually last!”
If you are going through the ’terrible’ twos’ with your toddler, or have already been through it, we’d love to hear from you. By sharing your experiences with us, we can help Lesley and other mums with advice and tips on how to cope and understand their toddlers better when tantrums occur.