CPAMom (whose avatar actually is a scream) said that whispering works really well. And she is right. During the Car Cart Controversy, Arun was not throwing a tantrum. He was standing silently with his eyes welling up - getting ready to throw down his next move which is Complete and Utter Devastation. Which sucks, folks. This kid can unleash a ferocious well of keening that will make a tomcat's ears bleed. This is precisely why I left them in that purgatory between the flowers and produce sections as I desperately tried to get a regular cart. And then I plopped Arun into the basket and whispered a litany of promises - anything to keep him from screaming. Fortunately, the kid is easily bribed with fruit and we walked out of the store with a bag of expensive, out-of-season oranges.
Sadly, I do not always whisper - often, I do what I call a Hollering Hiss. You know the sort - you really wish you could yell, but you do not want to make a scene so you find yourself yelling under your breath. And there was no way I could yell at Arun that day - not with the Village People lurking nearby ready to whish my kid off, so I whispered. And it worked. For once. Huzzah! Oranges for everyone.
I am not sure where I am going with any of this.
Oh, speaking of screaming! Yesterday at my mom's house, Anjali was on the porch and began screaming bloody fucking murder. I ran to her and all I could get between the racking sobs was "Dat a BIG bumblebee. Dat bumblebee STICKED me. I don't WIKE bumblebees. Dey are MEAN." We never found an actual sting but obviously, something with wings scared the hell out of her. I may appreciate spiders and creepy crawlies, but I am absolutely terrified beyond reason of stinging/biting insects with wings, so I really felt for her.
Oh, speaking of creepy-crawlies! Over the weekend, Arun, my son, caught the following creepies - a wheel assassin bug, a common toad, lightning bugs and a water spider. Actually, the spider did bite Arun, but it was probably a dry bite since there was little ill effect other than general freaked-outness. I was actually pretty excited that he was able to catch all of those things by himself.
We may live in the suburbs, but I am glad that he has a few places that he can dig around and explore. I have some landscaping that I have given up on and he is allowed to muck and dig around in it. That's my story anyway.
Bush Baby
7 comments:
Arun's shirt freaked me out for a moment!
I've heard whispering works better at getting a kid to listen mid-tantrum, haven't had to use it yet, though (baby is 4 mos).
Just wait until he gets old enough to attend the Outdoor Education Lab summer camp. Seriously, google it, its over here in Blue Valley. The moms I know say don't even try and salvage the shoes at the end of the week, just toss 'em. Nice. Drew was never interested, he prefers his creepy crawlies under glass where they aren't messy, but Will, my little Pig Pen, will be all over it next year.
Olivia I was about to say the same thing!
Add me as a plus 1 to the screamer list but only when no one is around to hear it. Otherwise it is the hiss. Caleb doesn't even hear me anymore. Sigh I know there's a better way.
I confess - I bought this book and have yet to read it. I think I need to, soon.
http://www.amazon.com/Screamfree-Parenting-Revolutionary-Approach-Raising/dp/0767927435/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249406851&sr=8-1
I'm the child of a yelly family, too (and I uh, suspect I'm on the yelly side myself). Man, the throwdowns we had when Shweens and I were teenagers...
OMG -- I ALSO thought Arun had a real snake around him!
I have to disagree about ice cream being bad for you. It soothes my throat tremendously after a long day of screaming at my kids! ;)
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