Cope took Monday off so we could just chill after a busy weekend. Of course Mr. Ramsey was thrilled!!! I ran errands with the WILD man in the morning, he took a LONG nap as did I. What, what!!! I LOVE to nap but rarely get to since I have to get things done while he is napping. No today folks, I got in some good ones over the 4 day weekend with Cope home. Thanks honey :) After his nap we went to see my Mom at their river house and then took Ramsey to throw rocks off the covered bridge. He loves to throw them in between the slats and watch them splash below. So cute:
I've been wanting to get Ramsey a little lawn mower and decided today would be a good day to give it a go. Of course he LOVES it! He pushed this thing around ALL day:
Here is just one of the many examples of WILD-ness this little guys is full of:
SIDE NOTE: OK, I need so help all you Moms of little wild toddlers out there. Ramsey is so sweet at times but out of control at others. He wants to do what he wants to do. God forbid I try to hold his hand in a parking lots, he screams, pulls away, or plain out throws a fit. once we finally get into the store he is bonkers. He cried, loudly the whole time in Target today just because he saw a ball he wanted and I didn't get it. Seriously. I have never met a more determined little spirit. I don't want to spank at this age because I feel like I will be spanking for everything. I'm thinking we're going to go back to the time out route and make him sit there for 1 minute before he can get down. We did this last night and he must of gotten down at least 20 times. I felt like I was on an episode of Super Nanny because I kept placing him back until he would sit there for 1 whole minute. This hopefully will work at home but what do you do out in public??? Sometimes he is so darn good and easy but other times I simply don't know what to do. He is a quick study so I know if I can figure the "right" method we can curb this craziness to some degree. Anyway, any ideas or suggestions are very welcome.
13 comments:
Well, I can't be of help in the toddler stage. I'm already scared of what Easton's going to be like. He seems as rambunctious as Ramsey! CUTE lawn mower, though! :)
Love the lawn mower! Luke is in awe of Jace when he works in the yard, so I'm sure that little toy would be a big hit in our house too.
I'm with Ashley, I have no suggestions on the toddler issues. They're just beginning for us. Right now, I try to distract, distract, distract when he's doing something or wants something he shouldn't have. We debate the spanking issue here, too. In my opinion, it only teaches your kid to hit you back (or other kids) because they're so into modeling behaviors at this age. My mom and other relatives totally disagree with me though. When I read on your blog you were doing timeout, I tried that with Luke. Get this -- he had no trouble sitting still for 1 minute. He just sat there and smiled. It hardly seemed like punishment when he enjoyed it so much, so I haven't used that one much either.
So, like I said, I'm all out of suggestions, too!
Alrighty...first of all, toddlers will be toddlers. There is no getting around the behaviors. But, you're right, you have to try different things, and see what works best. At Ramsey's age, Addison only got spankings when it was something that could hurt her...(i.e. running out in the street, parking lot, stove, etc.) Then, out in public, I would just try to go armed with patience, and a toy or something of our own that would keep her occupied. If the time out begins to work at home, and he starts to understand the concept, you can do it out in public. I can't tell you how many times I would take Addison out of the cart and set her on the floor (dirty, I know) and make her sit in time out. And, she would cry, but eventually I had to get over the embarrassment of crying in public. Anyone who has children understands! Good luck, I hate to break it to you, but they continue to find ways to challenge you, you just have to stay on top of it. I'd say that each way of disciplining that works for Addison only works for a while, and then we have to come up with a new way to punish because the old one doesn't phase her anymore.
Cute pictures, Tara! I love the lawn mower.
We spank Katie Anne... we started at 18 months. We wouldn't spank for everything, but we did discipline her very firmly using a combination of spanking and time outs from 18-24 months to try and get control of her behavior. I felt like, some nights after work, that I was only doing discipline all evening long with her and not having any good times! I felt so mean sometimes, and worried that she would hate me, but I'd rather be firm with her now that when she's 6 or 7.
We would have to put her back in her time out spot over and over (and sometimes spank her for getting up to boot), but it only took her a few times to learn that when we say sit, we mean sit. Also, we do time outs a little differently - she sits until she's ready to apologize and say what she did wrong (and now that she's older, she has to say what she'll do differently next time). She's so strong willed that sometimes 2 minutes just isn't long enough for her to calm down and realize what the mistake was.
But, it has paid off, because she's generally well-behaved (although you may disagree after library time today- I had to take her out and give her a little talking to). She does listen and uses good manners most of the time, and she knows better than to throw fits or things like she did at Ramsey's age. However, some of that is probably just part of the maturation process. I also think communication as they age plays a big role - we can explain things to KA now that we just couldn't at 18 months, and she can better tell us what's frustrating her instead of just crying about it.
Even still, we have to be very firm with her - I say, "It takes heat to temper steel," all the time about her, because she's definitely got a will of steel! Hope that helps!
I could probably write a book on the things I've learned about disciplining and how it affects different children since I have 3 same age, same sex, same environment growing up little case studies here.... but I won't do that to your comments! I will say that at that age the only time the girls got spankings was for doing something that put them or someone else in danger.
I am dreading this moment in our lives too! Make sure you blog about what works so we can all steal it for ourselves!
I did take a class offered by the hospital while I was pregnant, and the nurse that taught the class suggested a book called "1 2 3 Magic" and "the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers" or "Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems". I wish the second one were true, but maybe it will help! Good luck!
I am soaking up the answers on this one. I can darn be sure I will needing them in just a few short months. Oh and thanks for all the nice comments lately, it means a lot. This is such a stinky time for us. This too shall pass but I REALLY want Nate home. Glad you all had a great holiday weekend!
Girl, I am lovin this post. Ava I swear has already hit her terrible twos at 11 months. I got nothin to offer though. She's really started walking now and she throws major temper tantrums. I've GOT to catch one on film. She REFUSES to lay on her back for diaper changes. She wriggles herself by turning over and straightening her body when we put her in her carseat. Literally I could not get her buckled in the other night and had to have Vince come help me. And even HE had trouble. All the while she fought us to the end and screamed and cried. Today she got mad at me b/c I wouldn't put her down fast enough and grabbed my face and clawed it. She was angry. So I am just lookin forward to what she has to offer. My sweet little booger
Rileigh is almost the same age as Ramsey and she does similar things. She runs away from us in the parking lot, pitches a fit if you take something out of her hands to put on the checkout in the store. Recently she started this things where she cries at the top of her lungs in the car for no reason at all.
Not that its an excuse...it's just the age they are almost 2. I did ask the doctor about her behaviors and she said the above. But he said No means No...like when they run in the street its ALWAYS no. But he said you will have to excuse some behaviors b/c its a tough transiton turning two!
Rileigh is almost the same age as Ramsey and she does similar things. She runs away from us in the parking lot, pitches a fit if you take something out of her hands to put on the checkout in the store. Recently she started this things where she cries at the top of her lungs in the car for no reason at all.
Not that its an excuse...it's just the age they are almost 2. I did ask the doctor about her behaviors and she said the above. But he said No means No...like when they run in the street its ALWAYS no. But he said you will have to excuse some behaviors b/c its a tough transiton turning two!
our doc told us last week that 18 to 24 months can be a ROUGH stretch, especially with strong-willed kids (hello, sophie!). we're trying time-out too ... i make her sit on a rug for 1 minute and i don't let her take her taggie. we'll see how it goes. i wanted to crawl in a hole and hide at sam's last night when she fell out on the concrete floor kicking and screaming because i wouldn't let her run around like a wild banchee.
i think bella has just recently entered this stage too... i thought maybe i was bipassing it or something (yeah, right!)
but she throws fits of crying for no reason, that's the problem. it's generally over something really small.
i try to pick my battles, and make everything something she can "help" at -- recently, she doesn't like getting in shopping carts, but she loves buckles, so i make it a game of "Can you buckle this for mommy"? and it distracts her. I guess distractions is what i'm all about.
but she knows things she's not suppose to do, and will look at me for my reaction (like hanging on the stove handle that is already broken).
I need a good time-out place, that is for sure... because i think we are about to start that.
anyways, long comment, but know you aren't alone!!
Tara, we are big fans of the lawn mower too, and Riley still likes to use it even though he's five, so you'll get some good use out of it!! It sounds like you are doing exactly what you need to do right now, time outs are very frustrating, when Riley started putting himself in time out I realized it wasn't working. I agree with the spanking only when they are putting themselves in danger too, or you might end up spanking all the time!
It is a lot of try and try again. It is really just preparation for when they are 2 and 3 when the real attitude comes out and they can talk back to you!!
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