Right around the time Scarlett turned two, we noticed a big difference in her behavior. The slightest things set her off and made her throw tantrums that were for the record books. My sweet little child can go from smiling and happy to screaming and then calm again in 1.2 seconds. This phase is very stressful on me. She doesn't like to hear the word "no" and will let you know it in a very loud way.
We've started implementing time out and making her go in there when all else fails. A warning is first given to have her know what's coming, and then if she still doesn't listen or calm down, then she goes into timeout for a few minutes to calm down. We re-iterate why she's in time out when we put her in there and we explain it again when we take her out. She usually goes in timeout for throwing food, ignoring us when we ask her to help clean up a mess she made, or her newfound love of hitting us. She usually comes out happy and refreshed and all is well.
What's difficult is that when Scarlett becomes upset, she is violent and seems to lose all control of her emotions and just sees red. She will start throwing toys, the TV remote, anything that is within her reach. Lynnie is also a target and had a hardcover book thrown at her head the other day. It was terrible. Also, she will have a huge meltdown and fall on the ground screaming and hitting her head on the floor. It's awful and happens a few times a day. I can tell she's frustrated partly because she's not talking, but it's also the age.
The terrible two's can strike at any moment, and you never know when which is the scary part. Even a simple request of "Scarlett, can you put on your jacket?" makes her erupt into hysterics. You never know what you're going to get on any given day. Sometimes she puts on her jacket with no issues and then other days she doesn't want to wear a certain pair of shoes. As Scarlett gets older, she's getting more independent and becoming more of her own person.
This stage makes you feel like a terrible parent. Honestly, it truly upsets me and I feel like I can't control my child and have to resort to timeout. I know that isn't true and sounds ridiculous, but it's how I feel. I'm doing my best to ensure that I'm raising my child as best as I can. I have fears that she'll grow up and be the worst behaved out of control child, and it'll be my fault. I hope this is not the case!
Lately, Scarlett has had so much energy and seems to have to burn it off or she will become destructive. We have to take her to indoor play gyms or outside to run off her excess energy. Once she does this, she's much more calm and relaxed. This is new to me as well. She will run amok in my house opening and closing drawers, taking everything out, ripping pages out of books, jumping and running wildly, and many more fun antics. Why don't you just baby proof your cabinets and drawers, you ask? Oh we did, but the Incredible Hulk is too strong for us and broke all of the baby proofing including our gates. That's another story!
My husband and I's philosophy is to take each day by day. We can only do our best and what we're capable of. I do see other children who seem to be perfect children on the outside and do everything their parents ask. I know there must be something else behind the scenes that the parents are dealing and struggling with. All parents can reunite in the fact that raising a child is the hardest thing a person will ever do and the job never ends.
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