Yelling

[Mittsy]

Catharina, my 4.5yo, has a issue with yelling about everything that's not going her way, and I need help dealing with this! I have tried hugging her until she calms, verbalizing her emotions, reasoning with her, begging her to be quiet because I'm getting a headache.... eventually this ends up in me yelling back at her just so I can hear my own thoughts and her in tears. I was thinking of setting up a yelling room in our house, where she can go whenever she needs to and yell as much as she wants, and then come back and join us later, does this sound like a good idea?

Help!!

[Kivgaen]

sounds like a good idea to me (make sure it's not her bedroom).

don't make it a "punishment" though. Be careful with your choice of words, and make sure you keep your voice calm and steady. State the rule to her when she is calm "from now on, if you feel like screaming, then go to the screaming room". Then when she screams, cover your ears and say in a low voice "you have a choice: you can keep screaming in the screaming room, or you can stop screaming and stay here". Follow through right away if she screams again and put her in the room.

Good luck -- I think its a great idea. Be consistent and she'll learn the rule!