Friday, May 31, 2013

Tantrums

One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, Olivia and I were out for breakfast at our local Bob Evans. She was enjoying her French toast and I was digging into an omelet.

A family sat at the table behind us. There was a mom, a dad and a little boy. Because they were behind us, I couldn’t see how old the child was but he sounded young. He was very, very unhappy. He cried pretty much the entire time we were there. Until, that is, he finally got some toast.

Poor little guy was hungry.

O and I left before the family behind us did. When we got up, I saw that the boy was actually about three years old. I was surprised by his age. His cries had sounded younger. And the fact that both of his parents had tried unsuccessfully to soothe him and reason with him as they waited for their food.

We’ve been really lucky as far as tantrums go in our family.

I see on the Facebook groups I belong to that support parents of kids with 5p- syndrome that a lot of parents out there deal with moodiness and tantrums from their affected kids.

Olivia has never really thrown tantrums. She accepts ‘no’ pretty well. She might say, “Please” over and over again in response to an answer she doesn’t want to hear but that’s the extent of it.

I do realize how lucky we are that she’s a verbal as she is. She can tell us what she needs, ask us for the things she wants, make her thoughts and desires known. I imagine that less verbal children probably get so, so frustrated when their parents/teachers/caregivers can’t understand them.

Please note that I realize that none of the credit for having two non-tantrummy children goes to me. It’s just who they are, they’re pretty laid back, easy going kids. And for that I’m ever so grateful.

And you know that since I just wrote this up, one or both of my girls is going to throw the tantrum to end all tantrums this weekend. That’s just how it goes.

2 comments:

Lauren said...

Tommie,

You can not pick and choose the times nature versus nurture is taking over. I'm giving you at the veeeeerrrry least partial credit for your super awesome laid back kids.

;)
Lauren

Tommie said...

Aww, Lauren, you really are so kind. :-) Thank you.