Will the tantrum survivors PLEASE advise????!!!

[MissCookie]

We are at a loss as to how to deal with multiple tantrums at once. Now that I think about it Hazel didn't really do much beyond throw a fit and then a quick time out fixed it. They boys seem to be hitting the terrible 2s early and hard They get so wrapped up in a tantrum that they actually want to be in a time out and shut the door back when we go to get them. One will start tantruming and that will set the other off. We will pick one up to nip it in the bud and he will arch back to throw himself out of our arms. All the while the other twin is at our feet hysterical. Putting the first one down to pick up the other will further anger the first child even though he didn't want to be held and comforted in the first place. Then child #1 starts hitting his siblings because he is so angry. (Time for another time-out??? ) The screaming and crying went on for over an hour last night with nothing I did (alone-dh at a dr.s appointment) working to stop the situation. I was ready to run away from home for good by the time my dh finally made it home

Anyone who has lived through this please tell me how you survived and is your sanity still intact? THANKS!

[3monkeys]

Thankfully, we didn't go thru this because Tess was the only one who had tantrums. I would put her in her room and tell her she can come out when she's ready to be happy and nice. She didn't hit, just screamed and at times she would try to pull open the door (i was on the other side holding it shut).

In my class (youngest is 16 months, oldest is 25 months) we sometimes will have several children having tantrums. Once they start hitting others (and some do) we sit them in a timeout, even if it means standing over that child and putting him/her back down everytime he/she tries to get up. They are screaming the whole time and 1 of the kids even tried to bite me. I'm not saying this necessarily works, but this is the way its being addressed

[Tami]

No advice...just sending HUGS!!

So far the boys don't usually have them at the same time....unless it's over a toy that they both want. I just try to redirect and distract them from what set them off. Unless the corner is needed as a punishment for hitting, etc.

Sending lots of hugs!!

[robine]

Neither had many tantrums..( maybe three or four total between the two)..VERY lucky momma....

[AnnetteG]

Stacy... no advice, my dear. We're just getting there and time outs are working for us but there's only one of Miss G. Honey, I don't know how you do it with two.

Bless your heart! Sending you TONS of

[WWhite]

how often does this occur? Do you feel as if this is normal behavior for their age and you are trying to cope with it or something more? I only ask because one of my twins was very difficult to deal with and we only recently discovered that his behavior was due to something he was eating. The reason we knew it had to be something "exterior" as opposed to add or something as the such is because his behavior was not consistent. He would be great for awhile and then his behavior was HORRIBLE as if he had no control over it. So we knew there had to be some sort of external factor (something in the air, something he was eating, etc) that was causing it. Lucky for us, we discovered what it was and he is like a totally different child.

So I can't really help much if you think it is "normal" toddler behavior because the behavior my ds wa giving was not "normal"

Wendy

[dutchgirl]

No advice just ((((Hugs))))

How very frustrating, I know how hard it is with one so I can only imagine what you and J are going through. I hope it's just a stage!

[Greekmom]

Right there with ya!

We have now entered the "screaming, while arching our back when trying to buckle up in the carseat." This has got to be the toughest when you have people staring at you too.

[TRC]

My trio is 20 mo. and they all throw tantrums. Right now it's my fraternal that is having issues. For the last couple weeks he has been a holy terror (he's working on several molars at once...yippie!), and will bang his head on the floor the wall, the crib railing, brothers, my legs...whatever is closest. He did it so bad one day that I put him in time out in his crib and had to take him back out b/c I was worried he was going to split his head open he was banging it so hard. I had to literally hold him down in my lap so he couldn't move (I'd let the tylenol wear completely off...won't do that again I can tell ya). The next day his forehead was all bruised up. He still gets mad easy and will hit his head and look at me for a reaction and I ask him if he wants me to pin him down again...so far that stops him from continuing the self brutality. Just telling him to stop didn't work, it just made him do it more, ignoring him and not looking at him didn't stop him either...but pinning him down seemed to so far.

The other two will scream and throw themselves down on the floor too and hit if someone is near enough, but we don't put up with that either and use time outs in their cribs with the light on and no binkies or favorite blankies, or stuffed animals. This way they know it is a punishment and not an attempt to put them down for a nap or to bed.

I'm hoping this passes soon too...it can really grind on ones' nerves!

[kaseyR]

Oh - I feel your pain. My twins are now 3 1/2 and I am starting to see the light (although mine are B/G so I am having another set of issues with my emotional girl). I could never do the "time out" thing with mine. They would never stay in time out, they didn't get it and it just wasn't worth it. I tried several other techniques and would just use what worked at the moment, what got their attention. A lot of times it was taking a favorite toy away - or putting the toy in time out.
All in all - the 2 year old age for me was super hard!!!! They are so curious but yet not old enough to reason with. Most of the time I was banging my head against the wall. I don[t know what I did to get through it but I recommend keeping a healthy stock of booze!!!! LOL!
Sorry you are going through this. Good Luck.