In the past two days I have noticed a new trend in Miss Kayden’s behavior. The art of the tantrum has been mastered folks! I said it here first, at 18 months we were at the best it’s gonna get. Kayden is 19 months and boy is she learning to pack on the ‘tude! It all started yesterday at bed time when she refused to give me her toothbrush and insisted on sleeping with it. When I pried it from her firm grasp the body went rigid, face turned red, and huge crocodile tears came immediately! Being as it was the end of the day (for both of us), she snuggled with her toothbrush last night! Last night’s tantrum had nothing on today experience!

Maica told me about this cool art studio for kids (Art Soup in Encinitas) that lets kids get all messy doing fun art projects. The place charges $10 and doesn’t even ask that you clean up after your kid! This art studio is for kids ages 2-12, but as long as you are past the ‘oral stage’ and your kid can walk, they make an exception for you. I wish they didn’t!!! Maica mentioned that Kayden should wear something that I wouldn’t mind getting paint on. Well, knowing my non-risk taker, I figured I didn’t have to worry about paint getting on anything! I chose to put her in a cute outfit and chose to wear white pants and a new shirt myself (that, I admit, was just stupid!). So we get to the art place and after Kayden puts on her protective smock she heads right for the dry stuff- legos. Good girl!

So much for being past the ‘oral stage’!!

After some gentle persuasion by me, she decides to check out the paint. She was having a great time painting on the different easels. I wasn’t completely sure of the rules so I was trying my hardest to keep the paint brushes in the proper area. I think this is when we started to go down hill. Each time I took a brush from her the feet started pounding and the shrieks started making their first appearances.

And then we made our way to the car! They had an old Volkswagon Bug in the middle of the studio just caked with paint. This, I thought (stupid, stupid!), would be fun.

Sure, painting the car was fun, until I tried to take the paint brush from Kayden as she started to run for the employee room! After redirection she headed for the white chairs with the same purple paint brush! I’m sure she wouldn’t have been the first child to paint on the furniture, but I’m just not that laid back of a mom that I could just let her run around the studio with washable paint!! (Yeah, I know I’m lucky I have a girl!) Once I caught her she threw herself to the ground and started shrieking at a pitch that you’d think only dogs could hear! I should mention that at 10:00 in the morning the other children at the studio were about 6 or 7 and were working on a structured art project listening to the serene music playing. I mean, the setting couldn’t have been worse for this tantrum! It was so obvious that we were too young to be participating in the creation of art. So of course during the fit of rage my sweet child had, she managed to get paint all over her clothes, hair, and face. And let’s also mention my white pants and pretty much ruined! After hosing her off we ran out of that place. I looked at the clock once I strapped her in the car and saw that we used up just under 30 of our 90 minute session!! I really don’t think we’ll be back any time soon :(.

I’m not sure what I learned from this experience other than my child can really do a number on embarrassing me. I also think that I need to learn to relax. There can’t be two people fighting for control- especially out in public. There are things I could have done differently to have avoided this meltdown. It’s just so hard because you want to explain things and then you realize that your child is not yet a rational human and can’t possible understand your rational explanations. I know this isn’t the last tantrum I’ll experience (of course I know this, she did it again on our walk this afternoon in the middle of the street as I’m trying to control my unruly pugs!). So other than today’s two tantrums, I know that our public appearances are going to be more of a challenge as my little princess becomes more and more aware of that she has all of the control!

Here is the calm before the storm of tantrum number 2…. She insisted that she should push Jinx rather than I push her!

But this is how she really likes to ride!

Facing each day… one tantrum at a time!!