The Monkey is 20 months old now, where did my baby go? He’s been incredibly difficult lately, it feels like the past two weeks have been one long tantrum. He cries for absolutely everything. A few mornings ago he was crying in such a way that we were convinced he was in pain. We were ready to take him to the urgent care clinic when it occurred to me that Matt pretend he was leaving (The Monkey loves going to daycare and Matt always takes him) to see what the kid did. Effectively enough, as soon as Matt started jiggling the keys and saying “bye, bye!” The Monkey stopped crying and ran to the door and then to the car, all smiles. I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure that if he been in pain it would not have been miraculously cured by some key jiggling. Serves me right though for criticizing my brother who was the same way. Karma is a bitch.
I think part of the problem is that he does not talk. He knows how and when to say “bye”, “hello”, and “no” but that is it. I can only assume that his frustration comes from his inability to communicate his needs and wants and so he resorts to crying. I get it, the lack of effective communication is very frustrating for me too but it does not make the fact that he is constantly whiny any easier to take, especially now that his tantrums include throwing himself on the floor. However, is most definitely my son, he’s a strong-willed little boy. Some days I wanna through myself on the floor too and kick and scream, maybe kids have it right and tantrums are a good way to vent. Who knows.
School is about to end and I’m going to be home alone with him until the end of August. FSM help us. One of us is going to go batshit crazy and it most likely won’t be him. I have to pull him from daycare because I do not get my stipend during the months I don’t attend school and that’s the money we use to pay for daycare. I’m thinking I’m gonna have to do something, anything, even eat ramen noodles for 3 months in order to keep him in daycare at least a few days a week. I can alreay feel the very little sanity I have left melt away.
Pam
June, I’m going through something similar with Nathan. Luckily, we taught him some sign language, so he can tell us when he’s hungry, when he wants something, when he’s thirsty and when he wants to go to sleep. It helps a tonne!