This is normal. You are doing the right thing.

I think we all have violent impulses, Susan. Just the fact that she does that doesn't mean you did anything wrong, but I wouldn't know whatto do or anything.

Sounds pretty normal to me.

Leif is so cute when he gets mad. The funniest thing is when he gets mad and gives himself a time out because he doesn't completely get the concept.

Oh, I meant it when I said it doesn't bother me that she has violent impulses. My earnest liberal granola parent side expresses itself in wanting to keep her away from Barbies--water pistols, toy swords, etc. are just fine in my book. But I still haven't settled on any kind of parenting philosophy WRT discipline, so I want to make sure my instinctive impulses are neither too lax nor too harsh.

That's just normal tantrum stuff, Susan. You can expect more of it in the next year. Probably a lot more.

Again, I know she's normal--I just wanted to make sure I'm not being too harsh or too lax in my response.

I just wanted to make sure I'm not being too harsh or too lax in my response.

Nope, that's fine. But you might want to discuss your discipline philosophy/stratgegy with Dylan, because it's probably going to be an issue. Willful children who don't like to be thwarted tend to have tantrums. (My experience with Emmett anyway.)

Annabel strikes me as the kind of child who knows what she wants.

Thanks for the ~ma guys.

Tantrums! Today on the bus a, oh, two or three year old was having a screaming fit. Piercing. Her poor mother (who had another munchkin in her lap)! People in the bus started to "shush" the girl (not in a nasty way) and the Mom pounced on it "see, you need to stop screaming, they're saying 'shush'" and it WORKED. She'd get a little worked up again and people would chime in. It was so clear that she was just frustrated and out of control and the distraction helped her break out of that cycle -- and the Mom was so smart to just roll with it. It was such a neat New Yorky moment.

IS anyone gathering flower money for Polgara? This is unbelievable and horrid.

poke, poke

Sounds like the right thing to me Susan.

I am all for stating the rules in firm voices. People think I am odd for telling toddlers " shhh" or "no yelling " or " quite voice". . I don't really expect them to be quite - or really even understand the concept. but someone has to tell them.

Emmet's story is why I don't let kids get away with even that punch-to-the-sholder greeting in the library. It can escalte or change way too fast. Or invovle people that didn't want to be invovled. Some of them get it. Others leave the library for the day a lot.