Aiden has been a much easier toddler than he was as an infant – mobility and communication have gone a long way to making him less fussy. That said, he’s not without his moments. He whines a lot, testing his voice and his limits. If you don’t respond to his question, demand or statement, he says it louder and louder until you respond. He will shriek when both very excited or annoyed, which we’re trying unsuccessfully to modulate.
One of the biggest areas for yelling and tantrumming involves Aiden’s wish to be carried. I swear I hear “Mommy, Up” a hundred times a day. He’ll whine “Mommy, Up. Ahhhh!” over and over again, even if he is up. It’s become his general whine. I would really prefer not to carry him, but it’s not the easiest situation to avoid. Sometimes it results in a very very long trip back to the car when I put my foot down and he does too.
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In the above photo, I was trying to get him to walk. To avoid yelling, I get down to his level, look in his eyes, and tell him he can walk on his own or he can hold my hand. It works most of the time, though it may take a few repetitions. This time, he did me one up by crawling instead.
Toddlers.
