What lies beneath....

We have hit a tantrum phase with Connah. Tantrums which involve throwing himself on the floor, kicking out at anything that dares come into contact with his flailing little feet, and cry-screaming, which goes a little bit like this:

WaaaaaaaeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeee waaaaeeeeeee WAAAAAeeeEEEEeeEEEEEEEEEE WWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEeeeeeeeEEEEE.

It. Is. Awesome.

It is also very draining. I have considered several times over the past week the possibility of him being switched for a changeling. It is a very real concern at times, as I don't know this destructive, abrasive creature.

And then, just like magic, it will end and he is back to being my Connah.

The first couple of times it happened, I just stopped and stared at him: Maybe he's having some sort of epileptic fit? - his eyes haven't rolled back in his head, and his movements seem deliberate.... Has he been stung by a poisonous spider? - he's not clutching at any specific body part, I don't think he's in pain.... Is he just kidding? He does like to trick me.... No, No, he's really going to town, I think he's serious.

After that, parent mode kicked in, and it was time to come up with a game plan.

I have no interest in trying to stop the tantrums from happening. He is expressing emotion. This is good. But I need him to be able to figure out how to express it in a healthy manner, so I don't want to encourage the tantrums either.... nobody likes a 25 year old man throwing himself on the floor kicking at the chair legs, because somebody else got the last cookie.

So, I don't want to stop the tantrums, and I don't want to encourage the tantrums.... my, aren't we in a bind? :)

What's left? Ride it out. It's a phase, I am aware of that. We are not actively engaging him while he's a mess on the floor, but also not ignoring him. If I ask him if he's ready for lunch, and am greeted with: "WAAAAAAEEeeeeeEEEE." I know he's not ready, and will leave him for a while. He's held accountable for any mess he's made during the tantrum. And I stay calm.


It'll all blow over in a week.


Yeah right.



xox