I Brake for Meltdowns How to Handle the Most Exasperating Behavior of Your 2- to 5-Year-Old

by Nicholasen, Michelle; O'Neal, Barbara

• ISBN13: 9780738211671
• ISBN10: 0738211672
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-07-01
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books

Summary

Any parent of a toddler knows the drill: you're having a nice day with your child, then suddenly-meltdown! How to react? Ornotreact?I Brake for Meltdownsoffers parents welcome relief: an annotated listing of all the exasperating things little kids do and step-by-step advice on how to handle each situation. From "Public Meltdowns" to "In Search of Sleep" to "Dinner Disasters," this book covers every bugaboo by category-including biting, teeth-brushing, refusal to wear a coat, and what to do when your youngster won't hug Aunt Marge. Handy action points, suggested language, and "Been There" sidebars point the way to resolution. Infused with funny, often commiserating advice, this is an invaluable resource for parents who try their darnedest but need a cheat-sheet for when they're stumped by their willful tots.

Author Biography

Michelle Nicholasen, an award-winning filmmaker for Frontline and Nova, is a full-time mom. She lives outside of Boston. Barbara O’Neal, mother and grandmother, has co-directed the Arlington Children’s Center for thirty years. She lives outside of Boston.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Meltdowns, Tantrums, and Screaming Fits	p. 7
Public Meltdowns	p. 8
Private Meltdowns	p. 17
Social Graces, or the Lack Thereof	p. 29
Won't say hello to greeters	p. 30
Won't give a relative a hug or kiss	p. 35
Ignores you or others	p. 37
Won't play with others or make friends	p. 39
Difficulty sharing or taking turns	p. 42
Aggressive or disruptive toward playmates	p. 44
Doesn't respect personal space	p. 47
Bosses or bullies	p. 48
One-upmanship	p. 52
Separation problems	p. 53
Clingy behavior	p. 57
Interrupting	p. 60
In Search of Sleep	p. 65
The case of the family bed or co-sleeping	p. 66
Throws tantrum at bedtime	p. 68
Won't let you leave the bedroom	p. 69
Keeps getting out of bed or calling you back	p. 74
Comes into parents' bed in the middle of the night	p. 77
Naptime trouble-Won't nap on weekends	p. 80
Eating Your Heart Out	p. 83
Won't sit at the dinner table	p. 83
Won't eat any/much food or eats the same things over and over	p. 84
Tosses food	p. 85
Refuses to eat vegetables	p. 86
Rejects what you make for dinner	p. 89
Spills and more spills with an open cup	p. 90
Poor table manners	p. 90
Eats constantly	p. 92
Eats with hands; won't use utensils	p. 93
The Trials of Potty Training	p. 95
Not interested in the potty	p. 96
As soon as they get off the potty, they wet	p. 100
Takes diaper off all the time	p. 101
Starts out well and then backslides	p. 101
Asks for diapers back	p. 104
Urine trained but won't poop in the potty	p. 105
Withholds poop; has smears on underpants	p. 107
Will only have a bowel movement at home or school	p. 110
Needs overnight or naptime diapers	p. 111
Fighting	p. 115
General rules of thumb for nonviolent disputes	p. 117
General rules of thumb for violent disputes	p. 117
Pulling things out of another's hands	p. 118
Disputes over ownership	p. 123
Pushing, pinching, hitting, kicking, scratching, pulling hair	p. 125
Biting	p. 130
Tattling	p. 132
Jealousy	p. 140
Ugh, the noise!	p. 151
Getting Really, Really Angry	p. 155
Anger, aggression, and destruction	p. 155
The extremely angry and destructive rampage	p. 163
Hits, bites, or kicks you	p. 165
Talks back	p. 167
Says mean things	p. 168
Uses offensive words	p. 171
Manipulators and Clever Cons	p. 177
Prefers one parent over the other	p. 178
Plays one parent off the other	p. 181
Provokes you	p. 184
Makes demands and bosses you around	p. 185
Travel Survival	p. 187
The essential backpack	p. 187
Especially for airplanes	p. 190
Especially for road trips	p. 191
Health and Hygiene	p. 197
Picks nose	p. 197
Sucks thumb	p. 199
Spits	p. 201
Still uses pacifier or bottle	p. 202
Security blanket use	p. 204
Hair brushing battles	p. 205
Teeth brushing battles	p. 208
Won't take medicine	p. 211
Won't take a bath	p. 212
Hates going to the doctor or dentist	p. 215
Won't get fingernails clipped	p. 216
Particularly Annoying Refusals	p. 219
"No!" is a favorite word	p. 219
Won't get into car seat	p. 222
Won't get dressed	p. 224
Won't eat breakfast	p. 227
Won't clean bedroom	p. 228
Trouble with transitions	p. 237
Dawdling	p. 239
Miscellaneous Bugaboos	p. 241
All by myself: stubborn independence	p. 242
Whining, harping, hounding, insistence/persistence	p. 243
Obsessive-compulsive-like behaviors	p. 246
Changes mind all the time	p. 248
Loses things	p. 251
Steals	p. 253
Runs away in public	p. 256
Uses baby talk	p. 257
Lies and lying	p. 258
Perfectionism/Self-criticism	p. 262
Epilogue	p. 267
Ongoing Adventures: Final Thoughts	p. 269
How much should you negotiate?	p. 269
Losing your temper, keeping your cool	p. 278
Using physical force on your child	p. 286
What's considered quality time?	p. 292
What to look for in your child's caregivers	p. 295
Excellent books for young children	p. 301
Excellent videos for young children	p. 305
Singable songs for parents	p. 305
Sources and Bibliography	p. 307
Acknowledgments	p. 311
Index	p. 313
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