What do or what did your kids do when they throw fits?

@cynddvs (2948)
United States
June 5, 2008 2:56pm CST
Here lately my sweet little daughter has been throwing some of the most awful fits. I think part of the problem is that she gets bored around the house since she's been out of MDO for the past couple of weeks. I'm cheap with my gas money so I haven't been getting her out nearly enough to play with other kiddos. So here lately when she's been throwing fits she's started this new thing where she starts growling at us. I must admit as much as I know she's mad it's kind of funny to see this adorable little girl growling at me. But as much as we want to laugh hubby and I always leave the room to get our chuckles out then we return to discipline her and put her in time out. So far the growling and occassional screaming has been the worst of her fits. I think the high pitched screaming is the thing that gets under my skin the most. Oh and she has bit me once, got in big trouble over that and has never done it again. So I'm just wondering what other little ones do when they are throwing fits?
4 people like this
11 responses
@lauri_90 (25)
• Ireland
6 Jun 08
My little one is almost 4 years old. We have been very strict with him since day 1, I must admitt. We have used the supper-nanny approach. We put him in a different room,and we wait until he gets over it. His tantrums now lasts less that a minute!!!
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
6 Jun 08
You have a very good strategy there. I could use it on my younger daughter. Do you know how difficult it is to get some disciplines out of our kids? I guess time has change, they are more rebellious even at such a young age.
• Ireland
9 Jun 08
It's very difficult to be consistent! Specially when you are out and you think that you are making a show in front of everyone. I used to love an add on the tv, where instead of the boy it was mother throwing a tantrum on the supermarket floor! lol!!! so funny!!! I'm very lucky that my little one, gets out of them very quickly!!!
1 person likes this
@risris24 (712)
• United States
6 Jun 08
I myself do not have children, but I do have two great nephews (2.5 and 1.5 yrs of age) and a niece who is 10. My two nephews throw some terrible fits where when they do not get there way or even if they are but I guess not quick enough, they throw themselves on the floor and whine and scream and cry and yell. Th eolder one starts to wave his hand in hitting pushing motion and even bangs his head on the floor. My brother and my sister-in-law have done time outs and tried several other techniques but I think it is terrible how they behave. I say it is because their parents give in to them too easily so when other people are watching them or even their parents they are so used to getting their way that this is how they behave. the older one is better now but I notice that the behavior he had, now the younger one also does, they even jerked their bodies back while throwing a tantrum. To be honest I am not a parent so I don't know if this is a stage that other children go through, but it it is quite scary.
1 person likes this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
6 Jun 08
I find that something I read about once has been helping my son in this area. It helps to give him words that go with the feelings he is having. I say things like, "You are mad a mommy right now. I understand. I took that toy from you because you were playing with it inappropriately and now you are mad because you want your toy back." You will be amazed at how it affects them to just know that you understand how they are feeling. I often get down on my son's level and get very animated with expressing whatever emotion it is. Once he seems aware that I kind of 'get it' then I tell him that we can not talk about it until after he calms down. When he is calm we talk about how I really try to understand how he is feeling but getting upset like that only makes things worse. Then we practice saying, 'Mommy it makes me made to lose my toys' and then we get a chance to talk about reasons why he is likely to lose toys in the future....... and so on. Sorry I can't remember what book or article I read this from or I would refer you to it.
1 person likes this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Thanks for the best response, cynddvs.
• United States
6 Jun 08
One time when my daughter was about 4 or 5 she decided to throw herself on the floor first yelling and them holding her breath until she turned purple. She decided to do this when I had company and she wanted attention. Much to her surprise (and my friends surprise) I just picked her up by the back of her dress spanked her bottom and laid her back face down on the floor. She was so surprised she never tried that again.
1 person likes this
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
6 Jun 08
I think it depends on the age - my daughter is 2 today & she has the screaming bug & it will go away eventually, it's the whole terrible 2's thing & is something i think most kids go through. My daughter doesn't growl if she's in trouble or anything but when she sees animals growl, then she'll growl too. It's very cute & i haven't seen it as being a problem as of yet. My daughter does some weird things when she's isn't getting her own way, she climbs on to all 4's & starts banging her head on the floor or she'll walk up to the wall & start doing it there. It's just something kids go through so it'll last a while longer!
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
6 Jun 08
My daughter does this sometimes. I put her in her room and shut the door. When she calms down she may come out. And then we talk about what upset her in the 1st place. Plus better ways for her to handle her anger. Screaming growling all seems like we have the same issue.
1 person likes this
@bkstar (3)
• China
6 Jun 08
Your daughter is lovely:)Same to mine:DI don't think doing things as one like is a bad thing as a child.In my memery,I also have my mind while I was a child.So I might do something to express my will.
1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
6 Jun 08
That all sounds just too familiar! It actually shows a strong and independent spirit! The growling's really something isn't it? "This too shall pass"?
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
6 Jun 08
When my son throws a fit, he usually throws down whatever he has in his hand, and then throws himself on the floor and kicks and hits the floor while telling us "NO! NO! NO!" or something similar. Luckily, he doesn't throw very many fits anymore. A few months ago, he was throwing fits all the time, and driving us crazy. He turned 2 in February, and seemed to outgrow the fits around then. He still throws one from time to time, but not nearly as often as he used to.
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
6 Jun 08
Hi cyddvs! I remember one of my nephews growling at my sister in law too when he was being scolded and he was given a time out. When we heard him growling, my husband and I went out of the room because we were starting to laugh and we might not be able to control ourselves from laughing at his growling. One thing he did once when he was upset again because he didn't get his way with his mother, was he stomped his foot, crossed his arms, bit his lower lip, raised his eyebrows and opened his eyes wide as if trying to intimidate his mom. haha.. Take Care and God Bless!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
6 Jun 08
my son when he was little and about two or three had tantrums in the grocery store. I would pick him up bodily, wrap my arms around him tightly and then go to the area where they had chairs and tables. I would just hold him and talk softly to him and suddenly he would fall asleep. they get so much info at that age they go 'on sensory overload and do not know just how to handle the situation.l think a lot of their fits are due to being so tired that they do not understand how to help themselves get a nap so a mom as to watch that for them.they learn so ' very much during this time and are on overload from it.
1 person likes this
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
5 Jun 08
Well it is not about what other kids do but what you can do to let her stop throwing tantrums. Tantrums are temper and this should not be a welcome thing for a child. Try and do games with her to entertain her. Read books etc. We all are having gas problems but this should not stop us from allowing our kids from having fun. When she is in the house all day you can take her out in the community. Yes you can have a nice little stroll with her. These things will make her start to enjoy home again. Then these little flare up will stop.
1 person likes this