Bad Temperature

Once we saw a baby screaming and kicking at a mall, Sienna gushed, "oh, he's got a bad temperature (temper)." We found the mis-use of the word amusing that we didn't even bother to correct her.

This is what happened yesterday. Our kitchen is the only room that receives sun from it's west-facing window in the afternoon. At dinner time, it's steaming hot when the heat from the cooking outruns the air conditioning. In the past few weeks when the temperature was soaring high, I asked Sienna to eat in the bedroom. Yesterday, we finally got an un-usually cool day. "Let's move back to the kitchen," I suggested. "No" was her answer. A temper tantrum thus followed. I let her cry in the bedroom for a while. Then I went in and gave her a big hug to end the drama that was nearly the end. We had a little talk about her bad temper and today's low temperature.

I had my share of temper tantrum myself when I was a little girl. My parents let me cry my eyes out till I picked up myself. It was good for fostering my independence. But I had hoped all along if somebody could jut come in and give me a hug while I was so ready to give in... Today, I am not doing much differently than my parents about temper tantrums. I also let her CIO (Cry It Out) except towards the end of it, I do go in and give her what I had hoped to get as a kid. That, I think, is a necessary touch. Meanwhile, it's important to stand my ground, meaning not to give in to or get involved with her emotions. It's also important to let her express herself, even just by crying.

Well, Sienna, my baby, you don't have the best TEMPER even in the cool summer temperature. I am glad that whatever I do doesn't make it worse.