Screaming!

OMGolly! Were you with me today?

Alyssa - I was always able to calm down before it got to blood curlding screams.

Kate - Loves blood curdling screams. I am no help. I have tried numerous things and the only thing that works is stopping them before they happen if I am lucky enough to catch it.

Ignore her, do not even look at her, to start with she will scream even louder but it gets boring when no one is paying any attention to you and your throat starts to hurt after a while I imagine

In public if the kids thru any kind of tantrum, I would pick them up, without looking at them, and take them out to the car, put them in their car seat, tell them we would finish the shopping when they had finished their tantrum and then shut the door on them.

I would stand where they could see me right beside their door, if they didn't stop within a few minutes I got in the car and went home (only had to do that once tho). It was easier if Des was with me bc one of us would take the child outside and the other would finish the shopping with the other kids.

Probably had to do that 2 or 3 times with each of the younger kids (Greg never threw tantrums in public thank goodness - it was a horrible shock when the little ones did it ) and they learnt it got them no where fast.

At home it was even easier, if they didn't stop after a minute or two I would pick them up, put them in their room and tell them they could come out when they had finished. I would then hold the door shut yes it makes you feel like the worst mother in the world but after the first couple of times they give up fairly quickly.

Even at 8 or 9 all I had to say to bad behaviour was "Don't let us interrupt your tantrum, go to your room until you are finished" (which is what I always said to them when I put them in their room) and they would stop they would pout and sulk but at least that is quiet right In fact all I had to say was "Don't let us ...." and they would already be buttoning up

I did cut them a little more slack at home tho, as I told them, you behave well in public and you can let it out at home.

Sometimes they are just having a really bad day and need to just let it out. We have our friends to witch too, they only have us (Gee, aren't we the lucky ones )

Maree is right...ignore her, let her lie there and throw her fit...once she's over it love on her and just let her know how much you love her!

We did the same thing with Kate. Now she takes herself to her room for her tantrums. Another thing Dh read in a magazine that worked for us in public was to hold her really tightly in our arms. It really does throw them off for a bit.

My dd has discovered the shrekking giggle. It's not much more fun than the blood curdling screams, but it's happier.

We don't have screaming, however, we do have the whining/crying sessions (usually because they aren't getting their way) that annoy the heck out of me!
We calmly tell them that they can sit on their bed (No TV or toys, obviously) until they are done. We pick them up and put them on their bed. When they stop crying and whining, then they can come out. We let them come out on their own, and we ask "Are you done?" If they continue (about 50% of the time) we do the same thing. Usually, by the second time they come out and they are fine.

I don't know if it will work with Lauren, but it's worth a try if you think it's something that could work for her.

Ugh.. If I didin't know you lived in Ill, i would think you and I had the same child.

Dylan screams constantly if he doesn't get his way. It annoys the piss out of me! I try to ignore him the best I can, if it gets too out of hand, he normally gets smacked in the mouth. He's starting to learn (after MANY red cheeks) that I'll ignore him.. but when I look back at him that means he's getting his mouth smacked..

He's now starting to push it.. barely screaming to see what I'll do..



If he had been born first I would have HAD MY TUBES TIED!!!!!!!

:hug; Yep I hate this stage.....Nick STILL does it