Know the World About Toddlers

Before I became a mother, was the girl in the grocery store shaking her head at the mom who was clearly not capable of “controlling” her toddler. I was the server in the restaurant who tried desperately to give up the table with the family of four being seated. I was the girl shopping at the mall wishing the mother and her screaming child in the oversized stroller would just go home.

I owe a HUGE apology to every parent I judged.

Plain and simple, Toddlers are nuts. Toddlers need to explore, and talk, and test boundaries. Yes, they are sweet, and wonderful, and full of smiles and laughter too, but they will scream and cry and throw tantrums the second you try to keep them from doing something they are determined to do.

Of course, with tough love, consistency and perseverance, toddlers calm down and stop with the petty tantrums, but it's a process, not an overnight thing.

Toddlers are not robots, therefore, no, they cannot always be “controlled”. There is no “ON/OFF” switch.

Toddlers can be loud, stubborn, out of control, and vocal at times. So Can Adults.

Toddlers will throw a huge fit when stopped from, or kept from doing something they want. So do adults.

I promise, I am trying to "control" my toddler, but dammit there is only so much I can take in a day! There are only so many No’s! I can shout, there are only so many times I can pick him up only to have him push away with such force I think he is going to crush my throat and chest. There are only so many times I can have him screaming in my ear as I redirect his attention.

I pick my battles and do my best.

I am officially at a point where I want to wear a shirt everywhere I go that says, "He's a Toddler, GET OVER IT!" The shirt would be both for me and for the people shaking their head during a meltdown.

I want to stop feeling so embarrassed by my son's behavior. I can't be so hard on myself anymore! There is only so much I can do. Yes, I can stop him from running around, but if I do, then he is going to cry, and at this stage, I cannot stop him from both.

I try to be the best mom I can be.

No. I am the best mom I can be.

Summer is just beginning, but five toddlers have already died of heatstroke in hot parked vehicles in Idaho, Florida, Louisiana, and Arizona. The top ten states for these deaths are (in order): Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Virginia, and Oklahoma.

Each year, dozens of children die in this tragic way. Most often, they are forgotten in the backseat by a busy parent or caregiver. Some fatalities occur when a child gains access on his or her own to a car that was left unlocked. Others are left intentionally in the car while a caregiver chooses to go shopping or run an errand.

The International Parking Institute, the largest association of parking professionals, offers these eight safety tips:

Never leave a child alone in parked car-never, not even for a minute. In many states, leaving a child in a car unattended is a criminal offense.

Call 911 if you see a child alone in a car. Every minute counts.

Never leave your car without checking the backseat. Put your wallet or phone in back as a reminder. If your child is still in a car seat, put a stuffed toy on it when you take the child out. When the safety seat is occupied, keep the toy up front as a visual reminder.

Arrange for your childcare provider to call if your child doesn’t arrive on time.

If your child is missing, check nearby pools first, then the car and trunk of the car immediately.

Always lock your car, even in the garage or driveway.

Teach your children that vehicles are never to be used as play areas.

Keep car keys and remote control devices where children can’t get them.