Not to detract from my earlier post about Patrick's awesome first day of potty training...but the whole Yin & Yang thing rears its head again.
Patrick's day was all Yang...great success with the potty...only 2 accidents in underwear (1 poop & 1 pee) but 3 successful times on the potty and a few just sitting but still mucho praise. He is torn...he's reluctant & a little fussy but he is performing so well that I hate to drop it. He probably still is a little immature but we'll give it some more time...if he gets really fussy about going to the potty or he refuses I'll back off of it. But I'd hate to miss an opportunity that he started.
Now on to the Yin. The Yin is Matthew. A friend of mine was writing recently about behavior issues with her daughter. Believe me, I can relate. Well those behaviors reared their ugly head today after having subsiding for a good while. I have come to understand that is just Matthew and it will probably always be. He threw two major tantrums today - I think most people I know would say "oh come on...Matthew?" when I describe what it is like but believe me...I am not exaggerating. Blood-curdling screams. Throwing himself on the floor. Throwing things in the air. Running away from me (& from the direction of time out). Screaming at the top of his lungs while in time out - especially the last time while I was trying to get Patrick to bed. It is ugly. This was after I scolded him for some really awful behavior. I realized later on that this was most likely jealousy because of Patrick getting so much attention today for the potty training. Even though he can verbalize "great job, Patrick" I think he was having a very hard time knowing what to do with those feelings. I talked to him after Patrick was in bed & I took him out of time out. I tried my best to be supportive, encourage him to tell me how he feels, empathize but no way was that tantrum behavior (nor the behavior that he was scolded for in the first place) going to be tolerated. I talked about understanding it is hard for someone else to get attention - and believe me, Matthew got positive individual attention today..it is not like he was ignored. But in Matthew's mind he thinks & says to me "well o.k., I am going to have really super good behavior now tonight...so, can I have my story now?". Let me preface this by saying he says this at 7:30pm after I told him he wasn't going to have a story because of the last huge tantrum & screaming. I don't believe going back on my decision helps him any. You can just imagine the reaction I got when I said "no...it is bedtime now...tomorrow is another day". The poor guy just can't make the connection that you don't behave just when you want something. This is a long uphill battle.
But still...Yeah for Patrick's 1st day! Yin & Yang. That's life for you.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I feel for you and Debbie. We go through major spurts of bad behavior around here as well. It's like a roller coaster. Right now we are in a good cycle, but when it's a bad cycle, watch out. It's absolutely horrible. We can't go anywhere or do anything without tantrums. I am starting to suspect that these cycles are like emotional growth spurts. And when Olivia is pissed off, she lashes out physically. She actually smacked me across the face last time and tried to kick me! OY!!!
I hope today is a brighter and better day....But you are right and I HAVE to have the attitude, tomorrow is a new day....On an added note, Jillian is having a picture perfect day...I do not get it....
The last time Shawn threw a temper tantrum like that, I got out the camcorder and recorded it. I told him I'm recording this so when he grows up, he can see how silly he looks.
Post a Comment