When Ray wanted juice, the 2-year-old would throw a cup at his mother's face. The toddler also would climb on top of chairs, pour syrup all over the floor, break plates, grab knives out of the dishwasher and walk out of the house if the door wasn't locked.
He would grab things, like brown sugar, and dump it out all over the floor. He made the biggest mess you could ever see in your life. He was running, and I was trying to get him. We had to go through the check out, and he was punching and biting me. It was the worst experience. For me, I'm just trying to get out as fast as possible. My instinct was to get to my car and leave, but we had to get groceries.
Fussy Baby provides an infant family specialist who meets with families at their home weekly or bi-weekly to implement strategies that comfort the child and reduce stress for both the child and parents. Pamela Coleman-Gay, Fussy Baby infant and family specialist, said one of the first things she worked on with Kaia was setting boundaries and using a different discipline approach.
Mom will ask him, 'Where do your feet belong? How do we use our hands? Where do you sit when you eat? Do you throw an apple on the floor or sit and eat it? The program has made a world of difference for not only Ray and Kaia but the whole family. Kaia is married to Ryan, and they also have two daughters: Maddie, 8, and Ellie, 6. We use to all go to the grocery store together and had to stop doing that, nobody wanted to go.
My husband started taking the girls out to get things as a family as much as he could. It's easier to anticipate his needs. I've gained the skills to get him to calm down during a tantrum with less trouble. It's not a minute ordeal and he's not hitting and punching people.
