The 2 year old whirlwind

Allow me to open up with AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

As I'm TRYING to write this, I have a naughty little two year old girl alternating between grabbing at the mouse, standing up and switching the light on and off, and pinching my arms. She asks, sweetly, "is it too dark?" and proceeds to turn the light back on and then "strokes" my hair by ripping a few strands out. Talk about giving ME peace and helping me pick up the pieces right now! haha I love this little girl - but she's driving me CRAZY!

Do you have a child who is two or over? You know exactly what I'm going through and you're probably breathing a sigh of relief if your child is already done with that phase.

If you haven't experienced your child go through the terrrrrrrific twos yet, you're in for a treat! Your sweet little innocent baby will go from curiosity by looking at the new wonders of life to a jumping bean and crazy wildebeest!

The word "no" will be a dare to do what you said not to, you will be on your toes constantly pulling him or her out of a sink full of bubbles, a giant pile of clothes that had just been freshly washed and folded only minutes before, and suspicious odors in random places of your house. There could be an entire documentary that follows a group of two year old children to see what kind of mischief they're getting into now.

And let's not forget about the tantrums! Oh, that child rolling around on the ground? No... no no no... not mine! *walks away....*

So here it comes, the topic of today is the tantrum!

• How am I supposed to handle this little destructive hurricane that I call my child? Remember that every day is a new day and that yesterday is done and over with. Approach every situation with a deep breath and try to think clearly - am I handling this the way that I would have wanted my mom to handle me? Holding grudges against your child will not help.
• What am I supposed to do when I feel like I can't take it anymore? Whatever you do, don't get defeated. It doesn't hurt to walk out of the room. Try not to lose your cool - we all do it because I know I do, for sure... But to be constructive instead of destructive it is best to walk away and regain composure. When your child is occupied, go write out your feelings, talk to someone, listen to music and sing it out! Venting helps us more than we know.

• How do I physically handle tantrums? When my child is flopping around on the ground like a fish out of water, I usually leave her there and let her calm down. Whatever you do, DO NOT GIVE IN TO WHAT THEY ARE CRYING FOR!!!! This is where sooooo many people go wrong, in my opinion. The child is trying to get his or her way by throwing a fit, so let me stress... whatever you do, DON'T give in. It will teach them that in order to get their way, all they need to do is make a scene. 

If my kids throw a fit in a restaurant I immediately pick them up and rush them out to the front and talk to them there. Can it be embarrassing for my kid to be going nuts in public? Heck yes! But what matters more? Your public image? Or, how well you're raising your child?

If you face your child's spazzing out directly and head on, it's easier to get a handle on it rather than avoiding it and hoping it will stop on its own. My parenting style is HANDS ON! 

Bulls - grab them by the horns.
Children - hog tie and... oh just kidding. Let's try that again... children - pick them up, love them tenderly, discipline them firmly, and raise them with confidence.

My older four are sleeping now but my little 2 month old needs assitance so I will say goodbye for now and return at a time that is better for them, later ;)