"He's always smiling" Yeah, but you don't live with him!!!

[DebbieJ]

It has begun. He's just short of 20 months, but it has begun.

He's all smiles in public, but the whining and tantruming has begun at home. Today our home builder called and I couldn't even hold a conversation. It was in regard to a complaint letter I had sent and someone was FINALLY calling me back 3 weeks later. In the end, they're sending me a $50 restaurant GC, but I would have liked to have had a more indepth conversation with the guy to discuss some of my concerns.

But I digress. DS pulls on the refrigerator door and whines for milk, dinner, what have you, until I give him something. He screams and stomps his feet if he doesn't get his way. He pulls at the door and begs to go outside.

I'm going nuts. Your thoughts, tips, book recommendations are appreciated!

I will say, though, that his sleep is improving immensely, so it's not all bad over here. :)

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03

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[amp]

We've dealt with this since DS was a newborn! People always used to say, and sometimes still do, "Oh, he's always so happy" or something equally eye-roll inducing and I often say, "well, sometimes." I mean, the kid has got a temper on him! And he has no qualms about showing it in public, but I swear, some people have never seen it and think he's angelic! And then they don't get (at all) why I'm stressed out so much of the time!

[cchavez]

I have been told by serveral staff members at our gym that Diego is their "favorite baby" b/c he is so cute AND well behaved!!! I do take it as a compliment but want to comment every time....you don't LIVE with him!! He is very different at home......

[hez]

We were that way growing up. My mom used to ask us all the time why we didn't act at home like we did in public.

I'm starting to either ignore Payton's whining, ask him to ask nicely ("Payton, why don't you say, 'Milk, please.'?") or distract him from whatever he's whining about, get him calmed down and in the mood to ask nicely. These methods are not 100% foolproof, but they work at least 50-75% of the time (which is better than never!).