A Major Meltdown
While the summer temperature is cooling down, my daughter's temper is heating up. Yesterday I brought her to meet with Paula and Theadora at the mall. Sienna needed to have another photo taken for visa application. Again she was not keen on the idea until I offered her an ice-cream treat.
We wondered into a Disney store where a blue dress caught her eye and her heart. Lately she is into blue dress because that is what Cinderella wears. She wanted. I said no. She started whining, "I want to have it, I want to have it..." Our friends sugguested that I could give in and tell her she could have it for her 5th birthday, she won't want to listen. She never had much of a problem at stores. This could be considered first and major.
I was so embarrassed, as one could imagine. I took her outside and tried to leave her there, about 10 meters away from me. People passing by looked at her and started to look around until they saw me and their faces turned quite unpleasant. I could have taken her home. But we were with friends. So I sat at the edge of a water fountain waiting out till she settled down herself in my arms... I was again FIRM but SYMPATHETIC.
She started to want something again when we were at the Le Senza Junior. Paula and I each bought a pink Dora notebook holder that can be turned into a pause for our daughter. I insisted that Sienna couldn't have it until later tomorrow.
When we got back home, Sienna behaved as nicely as she could be because of a pending time-out I warned outside. At one point of time, out of blue, she opened her arms and said, "Mommy, what about a big kiss and hug?" Who could resist that? How did she manage to switch so smoothly between the monstrous and the angel-like?
As a mother of principle, I also said, "Look, we are not doing your time-out tonight because it's late now. But the notebook I said you can have, you cannot have it tomorrow. Let's wait for a week. When you have a tantrum free week and behave well, you get the new notebook." That, she complied with no resistance.
I have a feeling this major meltdown could as well serve as a good remedy for the meltdowns.
We wondered into a Disney store where a blue dress caught her eye and her heart. Lately she is into blue dress because that is what Cinderella wears. She wanted. I said no. She started whining, "I want to have it, I want to have it..." Our friends sugguested that I could give in and tell her she could have it for her 5th birthday, she won't want to listen. She never had much of a problem at stores. This could be considered first and major.
I was so embarrassed, as one could imagine. I took her outside and tried to leave her there, about 10 meters away from me. People passing by looked at her and started to look around until they saw me and their faces turned quite unpleasant. I could have taken her home. But we were with friends. So I sat at the edge of a water fountain waiting out till she settled down herself in my arms... I was again FIRM but SYMPATHETIC.
She started to want something again when we were at the Le Senza Junior. Paula and I each bought a pink Dora notebook holder that can be turned into a pause for our daughter. I insisted that Sienna couldn't have it until later tomorrow.
When we got back home, Sienna behaved as nicely as she could be because of a pending time-out I warned outside. At one point of time, out of blue, she opened her arms and said, "Mommy, what about a big kiss and hug?" Who could resist that? How did she manage to switch so smoothly between the monstrous and the angel-like?
As a mother of principle, I also said, "Look, we are not doing your time-out tonight because it's late now. But the notebook I said you can have, you cannot have it tomorrow. Let's wait for a week. When you have a tantrum free week and behave well, you get the new notebook." That, she complied with no resistance.
I have a feeling this major meltdown could as well serve as a good remedy for the meltdowns.
posted by minimum at
1:15 PM
1 Comments:
Hey.. Min,
Exactly my same sentiments.. with my brat.. ! an angel one time.. and a monster another..!! And she is just too funny.. to be angry with for long.. !
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Anonymous, at 2:20 AM
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