Yesterday, Trent was having a HORRIBLE morning. He woke up several times throughout the night and just didn't get enough sleep. He didn't want to listen. He was climbing all over things he knows he's not supposed to. He was just being an all around turd-bucket. I kept threatening him with, "Trent, if you do not behave, you won't be going to gymnastics class today." Yes, I know that was stupid of me because I could tell he had no clue as to what I was talking about. Against my better judgment (I just had a feeling he was going to misbehave), I packed him in the car and drove the five minutes to the gym.
As predicted, he was horrible. He wouldn't listen to the coach or to me and he just wanted to run around the gym like a mad man. I kept threatening him with a time-out and when he continued not to listen, I did make him sit on the side and watch all of the kids having fun. This really pissed him off and threw him into full tantrum mode. He was throwing himself onto the ground and kicking his legs and throwing his arms around. As embarrassing as it was, i refused to give in and let him run around.
Once he calmed down, I let him join the class again and again, he was being a monster. He wanted to get onto the equipment that he is not allowed on and when I would take him off of it, he started to kick me and hit me. I had had it! Pissed, I walked over to our belongings and began to put his shoes on. I was taking this brat home. He really freaked out when he realized that we were leaving. As I was putting his shoes on, I was telling him how bad boys don't get to have fun at the gym and how they have to go home and be in a time-out.
This was the point when the the cute as a button coach, came up to me and calmly said, "He is just testing you. When a toddler has a tantrum you can react in one of two ways. You can ignore him completely, which is my advice, or you can make a big deal about it like you are doing now. He is just testing you to see what he can get away with." I had an instant flashback to Trent's behavior and how he would look at me with that mischievous look in his eye and slowly start to climb on the equipment he knows he's not supposed to be on and I wanted to say to her, "No shit, sweetheart."
Not wanting to be rude, I quietly listened to her and explained how at home, I can easily ignore his tantrums but that is harder to do in public when people are staring at you like 'why aren't you doing anything?' I also said that he was not going to be allowed to hit or kick me so we would be going home. Bless her little heart, the coach continued to offer her parenting advice which although I appreciated, I really was not in the mood for. It is hard taking parenting advice from a 19 year old coach who has no children of her own even if she does have experience with teaching children. All of you parents out there know that kids sometimes act differently with their parents than they do with strangers. The coach kept at dispensing the advice and I just had to smile politely, and say that we would be going home but that we would see her on Thursday. Poor thing, she is just so adorable and sweet and she meant well but it was kind of hard to sit there and listen to her parenting tips!
So, I took Trent home and he slept for three hours. The little man was just tired! Even though Trent woke up in the middle of last night (I think he's having nightmares), he seems to be in a much better mood today and hopefully, will be better behaved. I am not at all opposed to getting parenting advice. I often call my friends and ask how they would handle a certain situation but for some reason, it just doesn't mean as much coming from a teenager!
Trent's second birthday is right around the corner and I know that these tantrums are only going to get worse. I am still trying to figure out what works best for him but it is a work in progress. I am bound and determined to have a well-behaved child. I want to be that parent who gets complimented on how well behaved her children are but some days, it feels like that will never happen! I know that consistency is key but man, that kid sure knows how to test my patience, the little bugger!
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