Often times when a child is behaving badly parents need, to find a reason for their child's ill behavior.

They're tired.

They're teething.

They're hungry.

They're sick.

We try and find excuses because having your child throw a massive meltdown temper tantrum in public is downright embarrassing.  If there is a valid reason for your child's behavior it's easier shrug off the judgmental stares.  You don't feel like a bad parent because, duh, your child wouldn't be acting this way if they had taken their nap or eaten their lunch.  Also, if there is a reason for their bad behavior, there's also a way to fix it.

And yes, sometimes there are legitimate reasons for the kicking and screaming.  However, often times (more often then we'd like to admit) there are no reasons.  Your child isn't sick, or teething.  He took his nap (two naps in fact), he just ate and his diaper is dry.

He's just being an ass.


In the last week or so, Jackson has developed this ass-like behavior.  At first I thought it was teething (he has all of the signs) but his behavior didn't get better after giving him tylenol.  I knew he wasn't tired because he was taking naps, and he eats a hearty breakfast and lunch.  There is zero explanation other then he's upset he's not getting his way.

It was lovely taking Manny to school this morning.  I don't know what parent doesn't like having their 18 month old kicking and screaming on the ground while trying to take their kindergartner to school.  Thrashing on concrete is super awesome.  Getting stared at by other parents is super awesome.  Trying to control the madness while getting slapped in the face and kicked is so awesome I can't even think of a suitable synonym that conveys just how awesome it is.

Jackson loves tantrums SO much that he wakes up in the middle of the night throwing them!  Seriously.  It starts off with a small whine.  John and I ignore it thinking he'll put himself back to sleep.  Then, it grows into kicking the wall and velociraptor screeches.  I told John he sounds like Banshee from X-Men.



At this point the only thing we can do is bring him into the living room and let him finish his tantrum.  Once he calms down, he falls right back to sleep (although this didn't happen last night, last night he woke up several more times).

I have no idea what's causing these tantrums.  I'm going to make a doctor's appointment to rule out any medical reasons.  I know that Christian suffered from silent ear infections.  The only symptom he ever had was that he turned into mega grouch.  I'm hoping that there's something like this going on with Jackson.  Again, because then I know how to fix it....there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  If there's no medical reason, that means this is just a phase with no end in site.

If that's the case, lord help me.