Tantrauma

You read the title and you wonder...Yoga position? Pilate's class? Exotic Indian Recipe? Brainwashing enlightenment Cult for Drama Queens? But NO! just 2 year-olds.

The "Terrible Twos," we've heard the horror stories, we've quaked in fear as we eeked up closer to that number. Yet many of my friends and acquaintances that have kids say..."two? Naw, wait until they hit three, that's when you'll really need the Valium." If that's the case, Let's start the Prozac now and add in the Valium as a supplement shall we?

In reality, the "Terrible Twos" have not been that bad...until this weekend. Eva has been slowly pushing boundaries as she has gotten older. But she is so stubborn in general, we kind of figured this would just continue. It has, and has gotten, at times, extremely testing. Rose, on the other hand, has just decided to "blossom" into a champion Tantrum thrower.

OMG

now let me repeat just for effect

OMG!

Rose, normally, would throw a mini tantrum, get distracted, then forget about the tantrum she was throwing. This weekend and this past week, she has been turning up that dial to the point where she earned herself 3 time outs! I mean she just blew a friggin gasket! She doesn't get a doughnut at the grocery store...TANTRUM...she doesn't get to bring her blankie into the kitchen (cause that's the rule)...TANTRUM...She doesn't get her breakfast served to her fast enough...TANTRUM...She doesn't get to wear her shiny black shoes to bed...TANTRAUMA!

So while Rose is having her meltdowns, Eva is pushing buttons every chance she gets. You tell her not to climb on the coffee table, she keeps going after it until you pull her away firmly and scold her...TANTRUM. You tell her "NO" to trying to get at the questionable looking dog (PUPPY! all dogs are puppies in Eva's eyes) across the park but she keeps heading that direction until you have to strap her back into the wagon... TANTRUM. You tell her not to steal her sister's binky but she keeps doing it until Rose has a tantrum which is followed by Eva getting yelled at, which is followed by Eva having a tantrum, which then completes the full experience in Dolby Surround sound TANTRAUMA!

I wrote, many posts back, keep telling yourself it's just a phase...Please God, let it be just a phase!

On the flip side, Eva has also entered into a Separation Anxiety Phase. Specifically, it seems, with me. If she sees me leaving without her, she yells out to me "DON'T LEAVE ME BABA!" Who knew 4 little words could just crack open your heart and turn you into a puddle of goo. Not sure how to deal with this yet. I think if it were just her crying, it would be easier. But when they verbalize the fear, eyes big, lips quivering, tears beginning to well-up, just rip my heart out and stomp on it why don't you.

There is one solution that does seem to work. It requires keeping them VERY active throughout the day. What this does is exhaust them. This means they have good naps giving you a small respite. It also means they go to bed with little objection. The caveat to this solution is that Baba and Daddy are completely exhausted by the end of the day as well and have no energy for anything other than sitting, just shy of comatose, on the couch. Poor Auntie, she is in for a rough summer.

It's a phase Auntie...the Prozac's on the counter...next to the Valium.