Meltdowns - Toddler and Mummy

Friday I had to take my friend back to the airport and foolishly I said I’d take the kids with me and then drop in on my parents on the way home. Big mistake... J had major meltdowns practically the moment we entered departures. Kicking, screaming, rolling around the floor – full on tantrum of epic proportions. I tried ignoring him, I tried restraining him, I tried crouching beside him on the floor and talking to him. All of this was made harder because I was trying to hold R at the same time. As the tantrum continued I became increasingly flustered and embarrassed. What I wanted most was for the floor to open up and swallow me; I avoided eye contact with everyone for fear of their judging eyes.

J refused to say goodbye to my friend and just screamed at her. Getting back to the car was a painful experience, I refused to carry him it was too far carting both. So I literally had to drag him along, he eventually got the hint that I was fed up and not taking tantrums so he walked ...well ran as I was so desperate to get back to my car and hide. I ended up screaming at him in frustration...which resulted in me feeling guilty as hell but I just snapped. I guess we all have our snapping points and mine was reached on Friday.

Once the kiddies were strapped into the car and I just broke down in tears. I needed to talk to Ant and he didn’t know what to say but kept telling me it wasn’t my fault and not to cry. I however continued to cry for about 20 minutes. I felt like a failure, why does my child throw tantrums everywhere we go? Why does my child refuse to listen to me? I can’t help feeling like I make a huge fundamental error in raising him. I know it’s his age, frustration and his attempts at exerting independent but it still make me feel like shite. Usually I can handle it well, but today I snapped...lost it. I didn't help...Joshua cried, I cried and we all felt rubbish.

I do want to say thanks to the lady in the airport that made eye contact with me and gave me a reassuring smile. It felt like she was saying 'don't worry I've been there.' It really did help, it gave me a little bit of hope that I wasn’t a failure. So next time you see a child throwing themselves around the floor and screaming offer a warming smile to the parent because it really is a horrible situation to be.