S.K.
My 15 month old is also getting into the tantrum stage. He throws food that he doesn't like even if he is hungry. If he is done with his food , he starts throwing the remaining on the ground. If he is done playing with a toy, he throws it and then cries.Same with sippy cup. He screams until I give him what he wants. I have not been able to control his throwing, I tell him no , but he always thinks it's a game or something.sigh! But other times when he screams for something I don't want him to have, I don't give it to him. I give him something else. He continues to cry for just a bit and then gets distracted. My son screams as well when he can't open his toy box etc , I help him when I can and teach him how to do it, other times I distract him with some other toy. He easily gets distracted. I have realized his screaming is a way of him communicating with M.. Earlier if he couldn't open the toy box, he would try a bit and move on to something else. But now he knows that it can be opened and wants it opened , so he screams. I have realized that if I ignore his tantrums he stops on his own and finds something else to play with. Sometimes he keeps crying for M. to pick him up. When I do pick him up , he wants to get down and play. As soon as I let him down , he is crying again to be picked up. I have now started to ignore him for couple minutes when he does that.Ignore as in not sit on the couch and ignore. I don't have the heart to do that. I ignore him when I am busy with something, cooking or doing the dishes etc. Beleive M. he doesn't cry any longer than a minute or two when he realizes mom is busy to pick him up.The other day I was washing my hands in between doing the dishes just to pick him up so that he stops screaming and was surprised that he suddenly had stopped crying and started playing on his own. The times he just doesn't stop crying - he is either hungry, sleepy or not feeling well.My son doesn't cry all the time though- he is generally very happy.But yes, I remmeber him being fussy all day when he had ear infections.He continued being fussy for few days after the infection cleared up and his doctor told M. that there 's still be some pain because of the pressure in the ears, so it will take him time to get better.He wouldn't eat well too those days.Also are you a stay at home mom? My son could play at home all day before without getting bored. Ever since he started daycare, I have realized he loves interaction with other kids a lot. He loves playing at daycare. Last week I had to keep him home for few days as he had fever , he got bored with all his toys and would cry for my attention. This week back to daycare, and he is happy again.
Oh I have heard this is just a stage. but then I have also heard it only gets worse. I am already worried about terrible twos!:)