Ds (28 mos.)has been doing this awfully annoying thing lately, it's driving us crazy, I could really use some advice...He does this very high pitched screaming/ screeching thing... all day long!
At first we thought he was just doing it for attention,so at first we tried ignoring it, but he would only do it more, as if trying to get a reaction from us. So then we just calmly said "no screaming" or "quiet voice inside". Didn't work either- he would reply with more screaming. So then we started being a little more firm: "It's NOT ok to scream like that", and "Stop screaming" or "i don't like it when you scream, tell me what you want" (in case he really is trying to communicate a need/ want). It's not like he does it when he doesn't get his way, he's not mad when he does it either, so it's not like a tantrum. He does it in a "ha! look how I can scream" way, as if he thinks it's hilarious.
Whatever the reason, which may still be just attention seeking, it needs to stop. I know consistency when disciplining is important, and maybe he sensed our reactions escalating, but thats why we first tried ignoring it, and once in a while we do still try ignoring him but he only does it more .Before he only did it at home but now he screams in the car and even worse out in public (talk about embarrasing!)
Overall, he's pretty well behaved (a few toddler moments here and there but tantrums are few, only other problem we have with him is his "playful biting" which we're working on stopping too). But I'm starting to wonder if our "AP/ Gentle discipline" methods are backfiring because we're too permissive/ gentle and not firm enough in disciplining or he would listen to us.
No major changes in routine, and we're an overall happy household (DH and I rarely argue or scream to eachother in front of DS), DS does not go to daycare, has not seen other children scream like this (at least not that we're aware of). Maybe he's just testing us...but we've got to be doing something wrong...
Thanks for any advice.
Desperate parents (going deaf)
Matthew ("AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! did you hear me now?!)
At first we thought he was just doing it for attention,so at first we tried ignoring it, but he would only do it more, as if trying to get a reaction from us. So then we just calmly said "no screaming" or "quiet voice inside". Didn't work either- he would reply with more screaming. So then we started being a little more firm: "It's NOT ok to scream like that", and "Stop screaming" or "i don't like it when you scream, tell me what you want" (in case he really is trying to communicate a need/ want). It's not like he does it when he doesn't get his way, he's not mad when he does it either, so it's not like a tantrum. He does it in a "ha! look how I can scream" way, as if he thinks it's hilarious.
Whatever the reason, which may still be just attention seeking, it needs to stop. I know consistency when disciplining is important, and maybe he sensed our reactions escalating, but thats why we first tried ignoring it, and once in a while we do still try ignoring him but he only does it more .Before he only did it at home but now he screams in the car and even worse out in public (talk about embarrasing!)
Overall, he's pretty well behaved (a few toddler moments here and there but tantrums are few, only other problem we have with him is his "playful biting" which we're working on stopping too). But I'm starting to wonder if our "AP/ Gentle discipline" methods are backfiring because we're too permissive/ gentle and not firm enough in disciplining or he would listen to us.
No major changes in routine, and we're an overall happy household (DH and I rarely argue or scream to eachother in front of DS), DS does not go to daycare, has not seen other children scream like this (at least not that we're aware of). Maybe he's just testing us...but we've got to be doing something wrong...
Thanks for any advice.
Desperate parents (going deaf)
Matthew ("AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! did you hear me now?!)
