Question
HI there,
my son is now almost 22 months old and is going surely and steadily towards the terrible twos. The tantrums and whining are increasing, and he throws himself kicking and screaming on the floor whenever I tell him no, and re-direct him. When I pick him up, he pulls my hair, hits my face and scratches, while screaming. I am slowly and surely being driven into a tantrum-induced insanity.
I am quite unable to bring him anywhere without it ending with a huge tantrum or lots of whining. He seems to whine more than others of his age. He is an active boy so he won't stay in the pram (or stay anywhere) for very long. If I let him out, its like letting worms out of a can, I cannot restrain him. Put him back in the pram, he screams bloody murder and we have to go home anyway. I have taken to bringing him back in the car for a smack but he can become more determined.
At home, when he cannot do something, or cannot have something, even when his sister talks to him assertively, he whines and tantrums. If I have painted the picture correctly, the whining and tantrums happen all day. He can talk quite well (5-6 word sentences) so language is not an issue.
Hunger however may be an issue - I have made sure he eats and drinks, but will not eat breakfast (so I give him milk in the mornings). Gets hungry mid day but will sometimes reject what I give him sometimes. And reject lunch and rather go hungry if I dare serve him something not to his liking. So the hunger, combined with fatigue by noon has him throwing massive (30-45 minute tantrums). What do I do? It's slowly and surely spread like a disease and taken over the family peace, upsets everybody.
My strategies: put him on the chair each time he whines. Smack firmly if he moves off the chair. That makes him stay on until he's quiet. But doesn't cure the whining.
If he throws a screaming tantrum, I put him in the cot until he burns it all up screaming.
Problem: I can only do this at home. When we are out and about, I have a child I seem to have no control over. What should I do?
