Maxwell. Oh Maxwell. This child is constantly testing his boundaries and my patience. While on vacation, he reached the highest end of both.
He has started throwing fits. Now, Payton threw "fits". Just a scream and a kick. Maybe even falling on the ground. But now, I realize, that was nothing. Just a testing of the moment and it would pass.
Max's fits start out small. Just a screaming noise. Then it progresses to throwing himself on the ground. Followed by beating his fists into the floor and kicking his feet. During all this, the screaming continues and even increases in volume and intensity sometimes. They usually end if he's ignored and no one's laughing (grandparents!!).
One day, while relaxing on the beach, for a reason I don't remember, Maxwell threw a fit. His "best" yet. It didn't stop with being ignored. He realized that he had an audience in the sand around him. He crawled his way down the beach shore towards to ocean with each movement screaming "Ow!!!" at the top of his lungs. I'm not sure if our neighbors thought he was in pain and I was a bad mom, or if he was just crazy. Turns out, he's just crazy.
I've talked to a few friends and family members about this event. It's funny now (and it was kind of funny then), but I'm not sure what to do about it. The things that worked with Payton surely do NOT cut it with Maxwell. I used to think that wild children were the product of lazy or bad parenting in some cases. I can assure you that is NOT the case with Maxwell.
I'm afraid, literally terrified, that I've exhausted my options and he's not even 18 months. You can tell him "no" 1,000 times and he'll do it anyway. You can take him away for something and divert his attention, but within minutes, it's back to the thing you just took him away from (namely the stove). We've started putting him in "time outs" in his crib at the suggestion of his pediatrician, but that does nothing but make him scream and get more mad at us.
On the way home from vacation, with him screaming for no reason in the backseat, I had the realization that the ages 2 and 3 were much harder with Payton than 1. I cried thinking about what the next 2 years of raising Maxwell will be like. I've been praying for months that God grant me the patience and understanding to deal with him. I just hope he does it before Maxwell's antics put me in a padded room.
3 comments:
I have to admit I am one of the laughing grandparents (sorry Ellisa) I will try better I promise. As I told you when Jason was like that I just started to walk away from him, it actually started to work after a while. Or the one time I packed his suit case (when he was older of course)when he said he was going to run away, well let me tell you he was the best kid the rest of the night after I did that LOL One time I even packed my own suit case and said I was leaving LOL You can imagine how bad he was that day. Good Luck I will pray. Love MoM K
Ellisa I am going thur the same thing. It's wearing me out!! I've cried about it a few times. Gabriella OMG she can throw a fit. her and maxx sound the same!! So does P and A. It seems as if 2-3 is harder on A then 1-2 like G. G will SCREAM, laugh, throw herself on the floor, bang her hand on the floor while kicking her feet. It's quite a picture. My ped told me that it's all normal. It's most likely for attention. To just move her to a area that she can cont. to do the banging (We have wood floors and I was worried she kill herself) and walk away. It works for the most part but somedays I have to just put her in her room and shut the door. I am not kidding you a min. later she is fine and happy as can be. Yup she's NUTS. Sometimes it's funny but sometimes it's not. :( I hope M outgrows it soon too! Maybe we can put them in room together and have a drink :) (((((hugs))))))))
Many ((((HUGS)))). I am sorry I have no advice for you. I hope you find something that works or it just clicks with Max.
But your stories keep me from wanting number 2 in fear that #2 will not ba an "angel baby" like Anna was. So thanks for the great and free birth control,LOL!!
Post a Comment