Since birth it has been evident that Bee can go from 0-10 in a matter of seconds... a scale to measure pretty much anything. He can be happy, then angry. Sad, then hilarious, hurt, then unaware of pain...you get the point (just try brushing his teeth and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about).
As of lately, Bee has decided to take tantrums to a whole new level: waving of the arms, stomping of the feet. This is where parenting is such a fun and tricky project.
With Kid, tantrums were dealt with through patience and understanding. He very rarely had a tantrum, and when he did, it was usually a result of an emotional conflict brought on by over-tiredness. In order to get him to snap out of it, he needed to rest, talk about it, and rest some more by himself in his bed.
Bee, well, his are brought on by choice. They come anytime and anywhere. Sometimes because he just plain wants to be stinky. He gets a warning (which about 1 out of 3 times he chooses to stop and obey), and upon continuing his tantrum, he's brought to his crib until he can change his heart status to "happy". Don't think this boy doesn't understand. He knows.
Never have I had so much pleasure in disciplining a child! My explanation? The result is just fun. With Kid, the result was precious and heart warming. He usually ended the ordeal with a heart felt explanation, apology, prayer, etc. Bee. By the time I come back to his room, he's jumping, singing, yelling, clapping, doing everything he can to prove he's happy.
Conversation goes like this:
Me: Bee, I'm glad you decided to end your fit. Do you have a happy heart now?
Bee: Ha ha ha ha (laughing/ mocking his mother)!
Me: Good! That sounds very happy! Now you're in here because you did ____ and you chose to throw a fit over it instead of obey. Please tell Mommy you're sorry.
Bee: I Shorry (BIG BEAR HUG)
Me: I forgive you. Let's start listening to Mommy, okay?
Bee: OK!
Me: I love you.
Bee: I Of You.
And like that, he's as happy as a clam, finding things to make messes of and hassling his brother again.
It's really fun. Much less draining than Kid's ordeals, yet much more often. It is such a joy to learn the differences in your kids and adapting discipline to them accordingly!
(that is until you seem to be disciplining one or the other every couple of minutes... which I did have a day like that last week, and it was unbelievably exhausting!)