October 20, 2008

Timmy and I are having a problem. Timmy doesn't ask for things. As a matter of fact, I think he rarely actually wants anything until he sees it. This morning, for example, that graham cracker he's eating. After Timmy woke up from his nap, I thought he might like a snack. He was perfectly happy until I took him in the kitchen and he saw the graham cracker box. If I remember Katie's reactions correctly from this summer, when she saw something she wanted, she'd point and try to say what it is. Timmy, on the other hand, just starts crying until he gets what it is he wanted. I thought now would be as good of a time as any to teach Timmy how to ask for something (even if it is just pointing and making a noise). So I picked Timmy up and showed him everything on the countertop, pointing at each thing he might want and saying the name. I'd point to the pacifier, say, "pacifier", and pick it up and give it to him. I did the same with cheerios and with his cup. I had hoped he'd catch on and point to the graham cracker, but it was not to be. Instead, he threw a fit. Not wanting to encourage his tantrum, I sat him back down on the ground and emptied the dishwasher while he screamed. Eventually, I pulled out a graham cracker, put it on my lap, and sat in front of Timmy. I was going to wait until he reached for it and then hand it to him (one step at a time, you know). Unfortunately, he didn't do this. Instead, he screamed, stood up, and cuddled up to me, still screaming. I was ready to wait him out and go all morning like his until the doorbell rang (it was the mailman with a package) and I had to get up. That's when Timmy confiscated the graham cracker you see him eating in the picture.

I can't even get upset at Timmy for this kind of reaction. As a baby, it's all he's ever been able to do and he simply doesn't know how to ask for things. The question is, how do I teach him? And, when he starts throwing a fit, how do I react? He's still too young for disipline like timeouts and the like, but I don't want him thinking it's perfectly acceptable to throw a tantrum to get what he wants.