Question
Hello,
I have a two year old foster child who is usually very well behaved. Lately, he has been throwing tiny fits (usually in public). For example, today at the gym he was playing in the kids area. He started yelling "Mom" from across the room. When I went over, he said he wanted to go home. I told him I wasn't finished yet and to find one of the toys to play with. He stomped his feet on the ground and said "NO!"
In light of the last bit of advice we received, I am not sure what to do. I was aware of my feelings and did not become upset or frustrated. I thought of how much I love him, and how I want to have "a more suitable parenting attitude." I have such compassion for the kids we foster and I am trying to treat them the way I would treat my own kids. I do love them but seem to have been misguided in thinking that discipline is good when their attitude gets bad. What is a loving way I can respond? I don't want these tantrums to continue every time I am in public, disrupting others around us.
P.S. I know lengthy family history isn't important however I would just like to say that these children have not been abused or mistreated. Their mother loves them very much and has done a great job parenting them. She doesn't have housing right now which is why we have them. I don't know if that will affect the nature of the response but I thought including it would be important.
