Having a toddler can really change how much you love your kid. Just kidding (kind of); you obviously still love your kid to the moon and back, even when they become a toddler and test your patience every hour of every day with ridiculous tantrums that don't make any sense. And, believe it or not, there are ways lazy moms deal with toddler tantrums that can prevent even the most stressed out parent, from going grey and, well, losing their sanity.
Let's face it: the words "toddler" and "logic" don't generally stand together in any kind of sentence, so why bother using it on them? I mean, kids lose their collective sh*t because you gave them milk in the purple cup instead of the green one, even though they asked for the purple one and swore they hated the color green but somehow, in the span of two minutes, changed their mind while you were walking to the kitchen, and why didn't you realize that, you horrible, selfish parent?!
Being a lazy mom myself, I could stress about said tantrums and rack my brain as to how to keep my kid from crying over purple cups in the future, but I'm all about doing the least amount of work for the best results. When it comes to tantrums, this generally means avoiding hard work like, "talking them through it" or cajoling or any of the stuff that likely won't work but makes you look like a good parent. Nope, I am all about walking away and making things as easy on me as humanly possible.Thankfully, this tactic has taught me some great toddler tantrum coping tips, of which I am more than happy to share:
Leave The Room
They want an audience, so what happens when you walk away? Well, sometimes they follow you, but most times they just kind of give up.
Put In Earplugs
There was a time when literally nothing worked to calm my daughter down, once she got going. So,I would put in ear plugs and just sit there with her. She didn't feel abandoned and I was able to save my hearing. Win-win.
Stay In The Room And Ignore The Tantrum
Again, your kid is looking for a reaction. You can still be there, but pretend nothing of interest is happening.
Tell Them "Just Let Me Know When You're Finished"
Sometimes, a kid just needs to get it out of their system. This way, you let them know you're not mad, you're accepting that they need to get it out, and you'll move on whenever they're ready to move on.
Distract Them
Maybe it's singing a song that they love; maybe it's opening up their favorite book; maybe it's going to get some food. Sometimes all they need is a reason to stop.
Take Them Too Seriously
"Your spoon isn't pink? Oh my god! NOOOOOO!!" I swear, if you respond like this to a temper tantrum, you will have a confused, and likely a rather chagrined, toddler.
Warn Everyone Nearby That There's A Tantrum In Progress. Ask Them To Stay And Watch.
Sometimes, the one thing that a kid wants when they start a tantrum in public (a captive audience) is actually not what they want at all, once it happens.
Make Them Laugh
This is just another form of distraction, but I use it with my kids all the time. In my case, it usually involves making fun of them.
