Monday, November 01, 2004
How we're handling tantrums
I was just reading something on Baby Center that made me wonder if I've been totally screwing up!!
When Parker loses it and is being super-defiant, we make him go to his room, or take him to his room, and close the door. He can come out when he's calm, and he now says "sorry" to whoever he hurt, and often will say, "no ..." whatever he did wrong (i.e. yelling or hitting or throwing). The only reason I question it is because when we put him in the room and as we are closing the door, a lot of times he starts to cry. I never gave it a second thought, but now I'm wondering -- does he think that I'm abandoning him? Should I be there comforting him like that article says? Staying with him until he is all better?
For clarification -- Parker isn't "kept" in his room. He is able to come out when he chooses, and I leave him be until he does (because I've checked in on him in the past, and he'll slam the door in my face ). I don't know why he just stays in there after I close the door, but he does. Before he could open the doors with the handles, I would just close it all but latched, so he could still open it if he chose.
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