Zoie turns 29 months old today! She is almost officially a 2.5 year old. It’s hard to imagine how tiny she was when we first met her in Ethiopia. Her spirit radiates spunk and life and joy! We are so honored to be her family and fall in love with her more each day. She loves to sing, dance, swim, skip, color, take baths, and cuddle. She hates naps, vegetables, meat, the word no, and sticky hands. Hubby and I feel like we’re seasoned parents with 2 teenagers who managed to stay alive during the terrible terrific twos. At times, we rack our brain trying to remember the tips we received from family and friends as they helped us maneuver through the toddler years. A few blasts from the past surface, but nothing seems to compare with Princess TNT!!
Princess TNT (aka Zoie) can throw a temper tantrum like a keg of dynomite with a pink bow. It can be startling, when the fuse blows and we missed the vital warning signs. The other day, daddy told her she needed to eat her grapes before she could have her crackers. The shrilling screams made him duck for cover, but I dragged him out and convinced him he was safe. The thing that works well with Zoie right now are “Time In’s.” We learned this technique in one of my adoption books, but it really works. When the explosion of emotion is at a max, we put her on her chair and stand quietly next to her. I put my hand on her head or back and just remind her how much I love her even when she is throwing a fit. I time her 2.5 minutes and then say outloud- “OK, time-in is over. If she has quieted down and things are back in control… I let her get up and back to playing.
Parenting is a journey and each child is unique, amazing, and miraculous. I want to hear your stories and advice- If you have any tips you want to share or a crazy post about taming a toddler TNT please add in comments for all of us to read.
