We've been struggling with that line between teaching your child right and wrong and...well...not subjecting the general public to them along the way.
I don't know that I'd call it the terrible twos starting. The true tantrums really only happen when Cole is hungry or tired. But Saturday was fairly close to Kelly and me putting a "for sale" sign around his neck and seeing if there were any takers.
I made an executive dad decision Saturday morning when we switched up who took Cole in the water for swim lesson. The minute we jumped in the water, he screamed and wanted nothing to do with singing or chasing rubber ducks. I took him out, tried to calm him down--nope.
Fine, let's go get dressed.
Farmers market he was ok, but he had another fit in the parking lot at Target. And another episode trying to play in the side yard...we wouldn't have blamed our single, childless upstairs neighbor if she'd left the patio and gone inside.
He needs more sleep, growth spurt, new developmental stage? Who knows.
We paid a lot--ok, maybe not a lot, but not cheap--for the chance to do these swim lessons. There was a waiting list, you know. So we're a little torn about the situation. He needs to learn that sometimes he won't get his way...but is the time to teach that in the middle of a group in public? When do you pack it up?
He loves the water. It isn't that. Take him to the other side of the pool and he has a blast. But that side has the freedom. Parent-tot swim lessons or the Target parking lot are about doing what mom and dad are asking, sorry. Letting him splash outside? We're not sure what that was about...it was immediately after nap and he was hungry. But we were trying to let him play in water--usually one of his favorite activities.
I think the biggest lesson we're trying to deal with is OUR emotions. It's hard to teach your 2 year old to find a more constructive way to express himself when your urge is to yell or just place him where you want him.
Then again, watching him play at the zoo yesterday, there is something about him being over-stimulated that sets off a mania. We get the most out of him--verbally, behavior, answering questions--when he is in a middle ground of calm but aware.
Put too much in front of him, and there's no use even talking to him. He's off like a rocket.
Which brings me right back to the question I've said again and again...is training children that much different than training a pet? lol
I don't know that I'd call it the terrible twos starting. The true tantrums really only happen when Cole is hungry or tired. But Saturday was fairly close to Kelly and me putting a "for sale" sign around his neck and seeing if there were any takers.
I made an executive dad decision Saturday morning when we switched up who took Cole in the water for swim lesson. The minute we jumped in the water, he screamed and wanted nothing to do with singing or chasing rubber ducks. I took him out, tried to calm him down--nope.
Fine, let's go get dressed.
Farmers market he was ok, but he had another fit in the parking lot at Target. And another episode trying to play in the side yard...we wouldn't have blamed our single, childless upstairs neighbor if she'd left the patio and gone inside.
He needs more sleep, growth spurt, new developmental stage? Who knows.
We paid a lot--ok, maybe not a lot, but not cheap--for the chance to do these swim lessons. There was a waiting list, you know. So we're a little torn about the situation. He needs to learn that sometimes he won't get his way...but is the time to teach that in the middle of a group in public? When do you pack it up?
He loves the water. It isn't that. Take him to the other side of the pool and he has a blast. But that side has the freedom. Parent-tot swim lessons or the Target parking lot are about doing what mom and dad are asking, sorry. Letting him splash outside? We're not sure what that was about...it was immediately after nap and he was hungry. But we were trying to let him play in water--usually one of his favorite activities.
I think the biggest lesson we're trying to deal with is OUR emotions. It's hard to teach your 2 year old to find a more constructive way to express himself when your urge is to yell or just place him where you want him.
Then again, watching him play at the zoo yesterday, there is something about him being over-stimulated that sets off a mania. We get the most out of him--verbally, behavior, answering questions--when he is in a middle ground of calm but aware.
Put too much in front of him, and there's no use even talking to him. He's off like a rocket.
Which brings me right back to the question I've said again and again...is training children that much different than training a pet? lol