One Year and Beyond: Taming the Tantrums

Bug is 15 months going on two (sometimes 16). She has all of a sudden developed such personality. A lot of the time, this personality is great. She laughs and giggles and plays, and it is so much fun to watch her grow. But then there is the other side of this personality. The tantrum. And boy can she throw a royal one.

These tantrums stem from two different things:

• She isn't getting her way and is being told "no".
• She's frustrated and tired.

This little girl is stubborn, and she comes by it honestly. So when she doesn't get her way with something, whether it be a toy or she doesn't want to eat what she's been given, she lets you know. Most of these times it's screaming and throwing her hands in the air and covering her face. 

She's also now at the stage where she's trying to develop her independence. She wants to do things by herself, and when she can't accomplish what she wants, the tantrum ensues. A lot of these tantrums end up with her throwing herself on the floor and kicking and punching the ground. It can get pretty rough.

We were spending the evening with my parent's last night, and Bug was in rare form. When my dad (her Papi) walked in, she had just thrown herself on the floor and wouldn't even look at him. The first words out of his mouth, "Are you two?"

I'm still learning on how to deal with her tantrums, but for now, a few things work for us:

• Ignore her - sometimes, she just needs to cry it out. That's okay. Once she settles down, she's more apt to listen and calm down. Ignoring her also gives me a chance to gather my bearings and see what the route cause of her tantrum might be.
• Distract her - sometimes she just needs a good ole distraction from the things that she's not allowed to have.
• Help her - if she's frustrated because she wants something done and can't do it by herself, it's best sometimes if I just dive in and help her. But I'm not allowed to do it for her. I have to show her how it's done, and then let her do it on her own. 
• Rest time -  a lot of times, she's just plum exhausted and that is the reason for her tantrum. The best thing to do at this time is cuddle and turn on Mickey Mouse. It's a win-win situation for both of us. She gets to rest, and I get extra cuddles.

I'm still figuring things out with the tantrums, but for right now, these four things have come to help us when Bug decides to throw a tantrum. 

Do you have any other tips on taming the tantrum? Link up with us below! I'm always looking for new ways to help ease the tantrum.

Come link up with us every Thursday and share your wisdom. Also, come check out our mamas who have some wisdom of their own.

Like A Morning Cup of Coffee               The Not Quite Military Wife

From Here To Eternity               Words About Waverly

Pardon My French             Beautiful Family Affairs

My Delicious Adventure                  The Life Of Faith

Running From The Law             The Olive Tree          

May 8:          Taming the Temper Tantrums

May 15:        Weaning from Breastfeeding or From Formula to Cow’s Milk 

May 22:        Dealing with Mommy Guilt

May 29:        When People Share Their Opinions and How to Lovingly Handle it

June 5:         Traveling with your Toddler

June 12:       How to get your toddler to eat their veggies…or their food at all

June 19:       How to make time to blog in the busyness of motherhood

June 26:       Bedtime Battles (nap or bedtime)

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