Not MY Biscuit Baby

Picture it, Harris Teeter, one early spring evening about 6:30. Jeff, Biscuit and I are getting our groceries, and everything seems to be fine.

Then, all of a sudden, for no reason, Biscuit decides that his life is the worst thing EVER!!!

I try talking to him. I make all the silly noises and faces that usually make him laugh. I try to give him a snack from the little container of Cheerios that all moms of toddlers are required to carry in their purses. Nothing worked.

I asked Jeff if he would walk with him and see if that would help. I took Biscuit out of the buggy seat and stood him on the floor. Jeff reached his hand out to grab Biscuit's hand. But before that could happen, Biscuit laid down in the floor and wailed.

I looked at Jeff and he looked at me, as if to say, "Who is that baby and why is he having a tantrum while we're trying to get groceries?"

Apparently, this is not Biscuit's first tantrum. I was informed at day care that Biscuit wanted a toy that another little boy had, so he tried to take it from him. When that didn't work, Biscuit laid in the floor and cried.

It's happened a couple more times at day care and at home. At day care, they put him in a high chair and give him a book to look at. That takes him out of the situation and gives him time to cool down. Plus, he's starting to put it together that there are consequences.

When it's happened at home, I basically step over him and go into another room. I figure any attention I give him will encourage him to throw another fit the next time he wants my attention. And as for stores, we pretty much just remove him from the scene of the crime as soon as possible.

I asked one of the day care teachers if tantrums were common. She assured me that it's a phase that most toddlers go through. Experts think that it mostly comes from frustration of not being able to communicate well and not yet understanding concepts like sharing, plus throw in some teething pain and us trying to ween him off his pacifiers. It all adds up to rough times for Biscuit.

But I'm glad it's a common phase, and I hope it doesn't last too long. Or as I told the day care teacher, "He needs to quit with the trantrums, 'cause Mama don't play that!"