Screamer

Hello my name is L. and I also have a 2 year old screamer the youngest of 4 kids. My 2 year old barely talks because of ear problems so I am in the same boat I try time out's and she wont sit and I try to reason with her that doesn't work either. The other day 15 mins after her snack she screamed at me for about 15 mins. because she wanted another snack I get past the point of disciplining and I just ignore her the best I can. I found a lot of the time ignoring her works. If I ever give in to what she is screaming about I lost the battle. They are testing the boundaries and you have to be strong as tuff as it is. I also watch the Nanny 911 for advice too.

Hi M.:
Ihave 4 children as well. My third is a 2 yr old girl...sounds much like your own.

She screams all the time...not because of any one thing but because of every thing. When she plays with her brothers...screaming as part of the play, screaming when things get difficult for her, screaming if she gets pushed...She isn't as strong as they are and the one thing it does get is noticed...by everyone...it works for her and she has trained us to respond when she wants us to.

I do the time out, AND I ignore her screaming (and tell her brothers and to ignore her). The logic here is that once she stops getting the expected response, she'll adapt to another technique of getting attention.

It has been working (as long as we ignore her)

My cousin did this with her daughter. She absolutely cannot stand whining and will not tolerate it. Everytime her 2 year old would whine she got a time out no if's or butt's about it. She was very very strict and never gave in or ignored. Her daughter is now 3.5 and I've never heard her whine once.

My question is this, is she just screaming? You know, nonsense yelling - just noise. I also wonder if she's angry. What is causing this screaming? I had a one year old in my care who would shreek so high it sounded like a whistle. She would do this on any occasion...happy, mad it made no difference - it's just how she voiced herself at the age of one. I am wondering if your two-year old is having difficulty hearing. At age two, the dicipline thing is probably not going to yield the results you want. As she nears three it may work - the time outs and such (no vial tasting substances 'tho). Find the trigger, and consistantly remind her to use her indoor voice. If her hearing is ok she'll come around.

M.,
When I was younger and worked in a store, I seen alot of kids
scream for things they didn't need, I even seen with relatives who had kids that screamed, for everything and anything. I determined then, in my mind, I would never let my kids do that,
so I made a rule, I started using it when I babysat for different relatives and families.
My rule is this:
If you have to cry or scream for anything at home or when we are out shopping or anywhere else, You Automatically DON'T GET IT! End of, so don't try to ask again.

That was my rule and I enforced it. If you use it and you don't follow through with it, they will not take you serious when you use it again. You must enforce it.
I have never had a problem with kids screaming. Because I enforced that rule, when kids played together around me, they
never faught over things because they knew I would just go and take it away and nobody could have it, either they shared it or I took it. Majority of the time they shared it and only kids who did not know the rule threw the fits over toys.
Good luck.
Oh, for the kids that scream for no reason at all,
tape record them, at the end of the day let them listen to it without telling them who it is, then ask them how they would punish the child doing this, then after they set the punishment, either tell them who was screaming on the tape. And follow through with the punishment they set, within reason. Some kids will want to really make the punishment bad. OR. Once they know it's them, discuss a punishment that will work and help them to control themselves at the same time.
Teaching kids to control themselves (attitudes) at an early age is good. Remember, uncontrolled tempers and fits of rage can get out of control in their teenage years, where it would have of been avoided, had you taken the time to deal with them when they were younger.
Hope this helps.

Maybe she doesn't hear well and can't tell how loud she is. Have you had her hearing checked? Just a thought!

I would take away the warnings and go straight to time out, loss of toy, whatever as long as it's a punishment. If you've been telling her not to do it many times, then she is probably doing it because she knows it gets your attention (asking for indoor voice warning 1, warning 2, etc), which is what she wants. I'm sure your daughter is smart enough to know that she's not suppose to scream in the house. I would guess that she does it because she knows it will take you mulitple occurances to get punishment but in the mean time she gets your attention.

Good luck!

K.

First of all you are right, she doesn't realize she's doing it. You need to observe and really see when she is doing this. Is it when she's excited? angry? happy? Time outs won't work, 2 yr olds are two compulsive and don't really understand the cause and effect of a time out. Can she talk? Give her words to use instead of screaming. Telling her to use her indoor voice won't work unless you model it, but again, she's probably impulsively doing it. Fortunately the weather is getting nicer and she will be able to use her voice outside more. The good news is--she is growing and learning everyday and as she matures the screaming will subside. If this is not your own child, be wary of any advice that tells you to put something nasty in her mouth like hot sauce, vinegar or soap. She's not doing this to give you a headache, it's really a matter of her stage of development.

My daughter was doing this and I dipped my finger in vinegar and put it in her mouth. Now if she screams she gets a warning and then knows if she does it again she will get vinegar. It sounds rough but it is a food and it worked and it's better then listening to a screamer for 8 hours.