WWPD Bratty Toddler Edition
Ok, so Rosie is hitting this stage where all we want to do is trade her in for a new one, she's broken. Tonight she is throwing the meltdowns of all meltdowns. It's 8pm and she is obviously tired. So we tell her it's bedtime. She seemed happy enough and said goodnight to DH. DH said goodnight mack, which sent her into being whiney. Well, trying to get her cheery again I try to get her to race me up the stairs. Which failed, I get up the stairs before her and try to play a game. I hid behind a low wall and dropped clothes on her (we do this a lot and she loves it). Nope, she went into neuclear mode.
She kicking and screaming on the landing. DH comes and reprimands her and gets her up the stairs. She then started to kick, hit, scream, and talk back to DH. So he told her that is not OK to do that and left. It took me 20 minutes to get her into her room, diaper changed, dressed, and in bed. All while she is screaming, hitting, kicking and punching. I just had to yell up the stairs at her to stop kicking the walls.
So, WWPD? Cuz I'll admit. I lost my cool a few times and yelled at her.
Re: WWPD Bratty Toddler Edition
I'd also try for an earlier bedtime tomorrow.
So whatcha drinking tonight?
She was fine until DH said goodnight to her. She does this sometimes. I try to ignore or redirect, but she goes from happy to ohholyshit in the matter of seconds.
I don't see how replying to her goodnight is teasing. She got excited and said "goodnight Daddy" and he said "Goodnight Rosalie". Which caused the meltdown. However, the rest you are right. We both got frustrated and probably handled it terribly. I try so hard not to yell at her. But nothing I did would get her to stop. Ugh. Toddlers.
I hope so. We decided that I'm going to take her or with me tomorrow to hopefully get her to calm a little.
good advice. It still sucks though. Breathe deep, then pour some wine.
My best advice is to breathe and tell yourself the meltdown will end soon. Do not react if you can help it. Go through the motions quicker and put her to bed.
Losing your temper is human too, so do the best you can. When she's in that state trying to reason with her or reprimand her usually aggravates the situation. I simply say "we don't do xyz" and walk away as soon as I can.
I am reading the Love and Logic Early Childhood book. It's really giving me some good strategies and things to think about.
I'll go back to lurking now.
Definitely familiar with bedtime meltdowns. If this exact situation happened (if he melted at the goodnight), I would just pick him up and carry to his room. no tactics to try and cheer him up. He's tired so anything I do more will just delay bedtime more. If he wouldn't agree to put on pjs/change diaper/stories then I'd just go ahead and put him in bed the way he way with kiss goodnight. Later, after asleep, I'd go back and change diaper b/c I know he'd either sleep through it or go back to sleep quickly. When he truly melts down, the less I do, the better.