Tantrums – What’s A Mom To Do?

A friend of mine inspired me today with a FB post, and I knew it was time to pull it out of my archives.

I have always said that my best parenting tip is a roll of duct tape. You would not believe the looks I get from people when I say that (come on, I know you were thinking it. If not in the young years, then the teen ones for sure).

Anyway, my friend posted the following on FB – Note to self: Don’t take your unwilling dog on an unwilling car ride to an unwilling vet appt. You will come home with scratches, bruises, the laughing stock of the vet office I’m sure! and then your dog won’t even talk to you or come near you. I wonder if I can doggie xanax for these once a year visits?

**This was my reply –**Sometimes it is not a good idea to take an almost 12 yr old to the doctor and then let her find out that she needs a shot (I swear I didn’t know) …. laughing stock of the Dr’s office (wish I could have videod it, but I was too busy holding her down thinking…REALLY???)

Early this year I took my almost 12 yr old to the doctors office for her well child visit. I didn’t know that there was a booster shot that she would need. I have got to tell you that this is my child who doesn’t have a temper. Once in awhile she might try to stomp up the stairs in a really bad imitation of one of her older sisters. She is sweet as can be, doesn’t talk back and is  really low key. Imagine my surprise when she started freaking out about the shot. One of her older sisters was there getting her well check up too (and to round out the experience we had one of her friends with us as we had a girl scout function to attend later that day). Maybe she decided to perform for the audience, I don’t know, but that poor nurse really did almost get kicked in the teeth. She was also doing some screaming. Screaming like I have never heard from her even when she was little. Totally out of character and off the charts funny if it hadn’t been somewhat serious as well.

So my question to you is how do you handle tantrums or doctor visits?? Next time I need to make sure I have my own duct tape handy (Michael’s Crafts even has black duct tape with flames now. You can color coordinate with any outfit).