On the Daddy Tip #3

A recent article in Parenting magazine gives you advice on how to deal with a tantrumic 2-3 year old. It's basically a short list of different ways to reason with or trick your child: Hold my keys for a minute, hold onto your yell until we leave the store, when I'm mad I get hungry, let's hunt down some food and drink. The most brilliant tantrum diffuser I ever saw however, involved no words, no reasoning and no rewarding your kids tantrum with a snack. I was in a grocery store when a kid blew up. You know the drill, lay on the floor, kick the feet, bang the hands, cry "uncontrollably". The kid's mom, who earned honorary Dad status for her no BS policy, left the kid. Without breaking stride the mom just kept on walking, ignoring the kid. But wait, you say, how would that end a tantrum? The key is your kid. Even at three a.m, when your poor dear is crying and snotting because she can't sleep, the kid is paying attention. No matter how loud and out of control they get, kids are listening. You can even test this on your own. Next time your kid is crying and such and it's late, just before you go into their room, make a noise. You don't have to knock over an armoire or anything, just stomp your foot a little louder than usual. The result, instant quiet because your kid is listening for you. Yes, you still have to go into the room but the point is to prove to you that even when they seem inconsolable, kids are lying to you. That's why ignoring your kids tantrum is so brilliant. There's none of that, "I'm going to do this or that" bluffing, because tell the truth, if your kid calls you on it, are you Man enough to do it? No, you cut to the chase. Ignore the kid, ignore the tantrum and let other Dads watch in wonder as you leave your child writhing in the sawdust on the floor of Home Depot. Oh, and the little girl whose mom left her? As soon as she realized mom was continuing to shop she bolted to her feet and ran after her mother without another peep.