Tantrums & toys

Wow!....what a week! Hubs to be is off work for a little while and we have both noticed a change in our munchkin! The tantrums, ignorance, defiance and pinching and kicking has started wearing us out!

Yes hes two and a half and to put a label on it many people would say its 'terrable twos' however the pinching and smacking has come on since hes gone back to play group! 

Hes not doing it out of anger and I cant help but think hes seeing it from some of the other children at playgroup. Hes also developed this horrid habit during a tantrum of doing short high pitched screams!

When hes in a right mood he will throw toys around, empty toy box in the living room and just walk away and purposely go to touch and/or remove things that he knows hes not to touch e.g the house phone, ipad, sky box.

I felt like the last week has been spent saying 'dont touch that' 'stop doing that' ' don't climb on that'. We use the warnings then time out system.

Today I decided that me and hubs would go through all of his toys and put them in the right boxes and that he would have structured play throughout the day. I have a list of things for Munchkin to do for example......

Colouring, painting, chalking, role play, music time, story time, mega blocks, cars, sticking, puzzles, fuzzy felts, games, dancing, going for a walk etc.

He behaved alot better today and both me and hubs noticed a difference. So its safe to say we are going to provide him with more structured play throughout the day as he seems to get very bored with free play.

I'm hoping that when the weather improves we can go out on more walks! Maybe I should invest in one of those waterproof all in one thingys!?

Anyways! how does everyone deal with their toddlers tantrums especially when your out and about?? Munchkin had a full blown tantrum in The Range....screaming, kicking, tears the lot!!

Everyone stopped to look as we were right by the cafe. 

I tried to calm him down but he just got worse so I found a spot on the floor and he had time out.

I could hear people tutting and see them shaking their heads. This annoyed me as I didn't shout and scream at him and I didn't smack him!

He soon got over his tantrum and quickly came to say sorry and give kisses and cuddles to me and hubs. I explained to him that i didn't like his behaviour and he forgot the whole thing and turned back into his happy old self!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels other people judge them when they are dealing with tantrums while out and about.