ANYONE HAVE A BOY WHO BITES AND THROWS TERRIBLE TEMPER TANTRUMS?

Joy - posted on 02/07/2009

Oh, that just sounds so familiar! I have a 2 year old boy right now who throws the usual temper tantrums, but he is my second. I think I am used to it now because my older boy (now 5) was AWFUL!!!! He drove me to tears almost every day. Looking back though, I think I let my blood boil too easily and that made everything escalate. Now I know it is totally normal. There is a reason it is called terrible two's! But even within the "two's", kids can be so different. Sometimes I honestly thought my older boy was posessed! Now he is fine, but has always been a spitfire and it has not been an easy road. My mother-in-law always says the difficulty they give you is a direct relationship to their intelligence level. I think it is true, but maybe it just makes me feel better.



In my experience it is most important to stay calm and consistent. I did/do time outs for being naughty (not for the tantrums - those I just ignore, meaning walk away), but didn't find them especially effective at this age. I still do it with my 2 year old, but he always tries to run away or bang his head or something. I put him back on his spot (yes, 20 times if I have to),but don't let it last too long because they don't even remember what the whole deal was about after a minute or two. I try to make him say sorry, but he rarely does at this point. You just have to keep trying.

The worst thing you can do is give in to whatever he is having the tantrum about. Try to calmly think about what the moment will teach him. If you give in, you teach him the tantrum got him what he wanted. You stated you are afraid to ignore him because he might hurt himself. Well, he can't do that much damage, and he probably won't do the same thing again.

Sometimes I think it is just good to know it is normal. Yes, even the biting. And it is such a short phase in their life and yours. I look at my 5 year old and can't believe how quickly that was over! You can get through it! Good Luck!

Katie - posted on 02/06/2009

No, I was looking for the same advice. My two old year old son is doing the same things, he runs out of timeouts, and it just turns into a game, i tried a baby gate-he knows how to open it, if i put him in his room-he will destroy it or pee on the floor.  But one thing the tantrums he throws I pick him up and put him in his room and tell him when he's done he can come out within 30 sec. hes done.  And the biting I have plenty of bruises from that.  My other kids I never went through this. I am very lost.