THE SCREAMING!!!

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Permalink Reply by Tina Wornick on October 25, 2012 at 4:02pm

I'll be following your post because my son does the same thing!

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Permalink Reply by Caryn on October 25, 2012 at 5:32pm

Well it's had 129 views and been posted for almost 24 hours and no one has any advice or solution.  Maybe we are both destined to have total hearing loss....

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Permalink Reply by Susan Gallagher on October 26, 2012 at 7:16am

only time will tell, right now it is getting the response that she wants...she is getting your total attention and all those around her! She is not yet old enough to understand that it is driving you nuts, and probably would do it more, if she knew that! Hopefully the two year old shyness will kick in soon and she will at least refrain from screaming in public, not so sure that it will change in private anytime soon! Once she starts learning about emotions, she will probably reign it in. Maybe you could try a book on different emotions so that she can model herself after other children experiencing the same strong emotions and instead of vocalization she will do facial emotion?? Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Kelley Van Cleve on October 26, 2012 at 2:17pm

I am a full time nanny to 2 and one of my charges (2 yo girl) went through this phase a little while back. We did a few things that seemed to get the screaming under control (unless we're just having one of those days) 

1) Ignore her when she's screaming, especially if it's out of anger/frustration. If she keeps getting a response from you, she'll keep the behavior going. 

2) If you can't get her to stop screaming, talk to her in a whisper. She'll have to quiet herself down to hear what you're trying to say. 

3) Start trying to use sign language. The "terrible two's" are often so hard because we can't seem to understand what the child is trying to tell us. Just a few signs will make your life SO much easier--hungry, tired, thirsty, finished... One of my favorites is "yay!". It keeps her from screaming every time she's excited--she just signs it! 

Good luck! 

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Permalink Reply by Tina Wornick on October 26, 2012 at 3:12pm

Unfortunately my son does it even though he knows sign language. So far his screams are not out frustration with communication. We have tried ignoring the screams but they are so high pitched its hard to ignore if not impossible.

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Permalink Reply by Magali Jorand-Fletcher on November 1, 2012 at 11:07pm

Ish! I hope your ears get a break soon :(

If it doesn't seem connected to anything (anger, excited, tired, etc...) maybe you coud try having her scream really loud in her room or in a pillow before leaving the house. Maybe she's playing and testing out her voice.

When my 3 yo throws a tantrum and starts screaming (or swinging her arms out) I have her go in her room and scream in a pillow (if she's mad, I tell her she can hit the pillow - and never to hit anyone) I think that at this age they have such little control over their emotions and social boundaries are still a ways away, they may just need a controlled release. She may need guidance in helping her realize when screaming is ok and when it isn't.

Good luck and "this too shall pass" ;)

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Permalink Reply by Kristin Foster on November 5, 2012 at 8:33am

My friend's four year old does it and did it all weekend and I agree its got to be pure misery. You definitely have to put the breaks on it now or you will be deaf in a few years. I agree if she's screaming to get something you can't give it to her. I don't know what to do but when mine did it, all I would do is take their wrist and get down to eye level with them and get this really mean stern look in my eye and in a dead serious tone eye to eye say, "NO MA'AM!" That's my mommy means business look and I only pull it out in rare occassions . She may still be too little for that though.

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