The Tango Sweetie

(Can you tell we're watching Rent right now? Actually, Sweetie is semi-watching it now - primarily for the singing and dancing. Hubby and I watched it last night. It's great! Anyway, it's just at The Tango Maureen scene and it inspired me for today's title).

Sweetie is feeling better today. She slept all last night, despite her 3 hour long midday nap yesterday and requesting bed earlier than usual. Today she is drinking more and eating some - her usual course of action. So all seems well. At least whenever she's sick, she doesn't stay ill for very long.

Her attitude today, however, leaves much to be desired. She's very moody. VERY moody. Things she usually finds funny are creating loud protests and tears. Foods she usually wants to eat (avocado) are flatly refused. She's trying to make demands of us and she's denying our help. And she's getting extremely mad, at herself or us, when she, or we, incorrectly sings songs or she doesn't know the right words to ask for certain things.

So, Hubby and I are having to step lightly around her today, figuring out the proper "dance" steps to keep her calm and cool. Normally I deal with this attitude of hers much differently. But today she's pushed too far. I can't calmly deal with her irrational screams. And most everything I say to her, good or bad, is sending her down the road to frustration and aggravation. So, for today, I'm trying to step lightly.

I'm not the type of mom to coddle my little girl. I tend not to put up with her crying fits. If she's ill or injured or scared, of course. But silly fits and tantrums, I do not encourage (not that any mom really does). I find that leaving her be, ignoring her (while making sure she's not putting herself in harm's way) is my best strategy for coping with, and capping, tantrums. Even out in public. I'm sure others see me "ignoring" my screaming child and wonder why I'm not trying to comfort her. But truly, I find that the more I'm able to ignore her tantrums, the quicker she gets over herself. She sees she's not gaining any attention from her behavior so she, most of the time, gives it up.

But for today, we're dancing The Tango Sweetie. I know it seems like the easy way out. I know it is. But that's okay. Sometimes you just want to find a way to prevent a bad situation from even cropping up in the first place. So, we dance. And, for now, we are all calm.