Meet ToddlerZilla
Beneath the surface of this sweet face…
Hides a ToddlerZilla!
We had a 4H meeting today to paint plaster sculptures. Arrived and settled in a corner of the room. Blanket laid out. Toys sprawled on it. My little girl has issues with arriving in different locations (slow to adapt) and into a situation with many people (crowd phobia). Kayla had to carry her unwillingly into the room. She eventually adjusted and painted her whale sculpture happily. When it was time to go, ToddlerZilla showed her face.
As I was changing the baby’s diaper, Rachel proceeded to strip off her own clothes. All she had left on was her top. I grabbed her before she started streaking through the building. I began to put a fresh diaper on and that’s when the tantrums commenced. No amount of cajoling, bribing, tickling, gently talking, threatening, nothing was going to make her willingly get dressed or stop the full outright ear-piercing, kicking, punching, twisting-body, full-out tantrum she was now in the middle of. Between Kayla and me, we finally got her dressed. As she started to strip again (still screaming bloody murder), I grabbed her, threw her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and headed out to the car. I put her in her car seat where WWIII began. Buckling a seat belt must be child abuse according to ToddlerZilla. But Mommies always get their way. 
I ran back into the building to collect our belongings. As I was buckling the baby in his seat, ToddlerZilla finally put into words what she was upset about: she wanted orange juice. 
Ah… the joys of Toddlerhood.
By cbmrj777 on Mar 7, 2008 in Rachel
My security word was “laugh”–I encourage you to do that whenever possible! It goes by soooo fast
Mental P Mama | Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Good advice, Mental P! It’s such a shame that toddlers can’t properly voice what they’re feeling sometimes and they get themselves so worked up into a lather. Brings back memories.
Kate | Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Weslee | Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
LOL, I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I can’t help it! Those tantrums just come out of the blue…about nothing really…and just knock you flat. Love the ticked off face!!
kacey | Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
And the tantrums always come at inconvenient times. Most times I take it in stride but there are always those days when *I* want to throw the tantrum instead!
My husband’s technique for dealing with tantrums is to throw one himself.
cbmrj777 | Mar 7, 2008 | Reply