A mum has asked fellow parents to share their “why the fuck are you crying stories” after her two-year-old had a two-hour long meltdown because she didn’t want to go to the park.
“He dropped an acorn on the school run,” one parent divulged in the Mumsnet thread. “The screaming lasted for about 40 minutes.” Another said her daughter freaked out because she wouldn’t let her climb up her hair “like Rapunzel does”.
We’ve all witnessed toddler tantrums at one point or another (for some, it’s a daily reality). From crying and screaming to full-blown shouting and throwing objects, it’s never fun for those involved.
One Mumsnet user explained that her three-year-old daughter had a meltdown after being told a box of Cheerios was for her and her dad to share. She then began screaming that she couldn’t have Cheerios for breakfast. “[It] Took me 10 minutes to get her to realise they were for her as well as daddy,” the mum revealed.
Another parent managed to top that. “My kid once had a three hour tantrum because she could see the milk through the holes in her Cheerios,” they wrote.
Tantrums are a normal part of growing up. Between the ages of one and four years old, most children will have tantrums. This is because, as children grow, they are learning to become more physically independent, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
“For example, they may want to play, want to dress and feed themselves, or pour their own juice,” their site reads. “Your child therefore can get very upset if they are unable to do something or if they are stopped. A battle between freedom and frustration can lead to tantrums.”
Tantrums can also happen for quite literally no reason, as one parent swiftly found out. “I gave him a roast beef sandwich. He loves roast beef sandwiches. He cried actual tears and hit the sandwich in a rage. He is 15 months old,” they recalled.
And sometimes there’s just no calming them down. One parent said their two-year-old cried because she couldn’t move a stool. Then she cried some more when her parent moved it for her. Then she cried “extra hard” when her parent moved it back so she could move it herself.
Often, it’s nothing personal. Tantrums can occur when a child is tired or hungry. But they can also happen if your child feels ignored or is worried or anxious.
Here are some other (pretty hilarious) parental admissions. Prepare to read and relate hard.
“I gave him water in his cup when clearly he wanted it in the used pint glass that was already on the table and I hadn’t realised this through my psychic abilities. Proper tragic sobs,” wrote one.
“My 2-year-old cried because his big sister told him he was ‘the loveliest little brother in the world’ think he misunderstood! He kept saying NO I’M NOT and crying,” another revealed.
“Apparently I was looking at him... that’s the only info I got in the aftermath of the meltdown,” one said.
“A pigeon looked at her funny, it was going to steal her sponge,” recalled another.