My Grandaughter is Exhausting!!!! LOL!!
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My Grandaughter is Exhausting!!!! LOL!!
I accompanied Debby yesterday when she took Megan to the pediatric opthalmologist. She is 20 months old. The pediatrician sent her because her right eye turns in toward her nose slightly, so he wanted her checked.
We had a 35 mile drive. DD plays videos for her in the car so she'll sit quietly in her car seat. We got there fifteen minutes early. She would NOT sit still. She wanted to be up running around. We took turns chasing her to catch her. They took us in about ten minutes after her scheduled appointment. They have all these cute little "Buzz Lightyear" lights and things to examine the kids. Well, then, they put drops in her eyes to dialate them, so we had to sit in the waiting room another twenty minutes. Other children were paying quietly. She was running, and barging into the other kids' play. They FINALLY called us back in and the doctor finished the exam. The good news is, the turn will straighten out on her own. The bad news is that she will end up like all the rest of us and be nearsighted at some point.
We decided to go to Panera Bread for lunch, so of course, she fell asleep in the car seat. I carried her in with her arms around my neck, sound asleep. After a "power nap", she woke up and ate some of her lunch. She didn't want to sit in the high chair, so I put her in my side of the booth. I had to put her in the inside because she wanted to get down and run around.
When we left there, we took her to a pet store and let her see the puppies. Then we headed home. Again, DD played a DVD so that she'd be still.
I was pooped! Debby says that she doesn't know if she wants another one because she's afraid she'll get another one like her! LOL! My kids were very mellow. They never acted like that. I could take them anywhere. I love Megan, but she's too self-willed for me.
Is this how kids are today, or is she just spoiled rotten? They went through a lot to get her (in vitro) so I'm afraid they let her "run the show". I can't say anything. I'm just the Grandma. 
My kids were pretty good in public places, but with both, in the 1-2yo range, did my share of chasing them sometimes!
When Emily was about 2 and Sarah was about 4, or so, they would come with me to get my hair cut. Sarah would sit in the chairs in the waiting area, and color. Emily would sit in another chair, close to me, and color. They never ran out into the department store (penny's), and they always sat nice and colored. Of course, a hair cut is only about 20-30 minutes. If I got a perm, I scheduled it for when Gary was home, because those take hours.
It sounds like she could probably use a few more limits than are being placed on her. One of the grandmas where I work thinks her granddaughter doesn't get enough discipline, either! LOL! I know she would love to say something, but is keeping quiet about it.
My DS was perfectly happy and content to stay in the car seat/stroller/highchair/shopping cart when out and about, however, my DD was a totally different story! Currently 8, she's still "busy". DH and I joke around (out of DS's and DD's earshot) and say that if Child #1 was like #2, we may not have had a second. LOL! I must say, that was one of the reasons we stopped at 2, because we feared #3 would be active as well.
My son was like that age 1-4. It was awful. We only went out when we had to. He settled down starting around age 5. He's 11 now and a delight but is a homebody.
I tend to think it has a lot to do with personality. Megan sounds bubbly, happy and full of energy. Lara went through a stage like this when she learned to walk. All her energy would come out in bursts! Especially in public when she would easily become over stimulated. She has calmed down some as she nears age four. In fact, we were in Target the other day and I needed to look for two different greeting cards. I was alone with her and wasn't sure how well she'd stay in the isle. I was quite pleased that she occupied herself, without my urging, looking at the pictures on the cards without even handling them. I do talk to her before entering the store about what I expect as far as behavior. This works now that she's older, but it was definitely a challenge when she was Megan's age.
Things will probably calm down, Hol. The way I see it, these little ones must view each day and each experience as we would a day at Disney World! I mean it's all so new and fun at her age. I would have a hard time sitting still, too!:-)
I don't think she was overly active. She sat quietly in the car, wanted to stretch her legs in a boring dr's office then had to sit through a grownup lunch place....then drive home. UUgghh, sounds very boring for a child!
Many years in hindsight; I would have taken my Panera Bread lunch to go (which I love. They do have great containers To Go, even for their Onion soup ) and taken it to a MCD's with a playground!
We went to Panera Bread because they have a nice nourishing kids' lunch. You can either get a PB&J or a grilled cheese on their wonderful bread, a tube of yogurt and apple juice or milk.
I don't know. Maybe I was just very lucky. Debby (mother of the "terror" lol) and Danny were just nice, mellow kids. Dan was a little more active. He walked sooner than Deb did, and was a little more of a risk taker. For the most part, they acted like your kids, Dawn. I wonder if Megan is like that because the daycare "Mom" she goes to has a very active four year old son. He plays with her and his little sister, who is Megan's age. He taught the girls to dance and jump.
Of course, I too, set limits and let them know what I expected from their behaviour. And in those days, you could give them a swat on the bottom. Debby is terrified to do that for fear someone will call DCF. With Tom being a police officer and her working in an ER, they both have to deal with DCF as part of their jobs. I know that children get abused. My two adopted sons were victims. However, there is a big difference between abuse and a quick redirection. The sad thing is, there is no one to intervene when children are VERBALLY abused, which can scar just as much. I have been in public and heard people say awful, hurtful things to their children. Ridicule them and call them derogatory names.
Dawn, your post made me think of something. I took Debby and Dan to the hair salon with me once. She was about eight and he was about four. They were playing a card game or something in the waiting area. It was a small neighbourhood shop. One of the hairdressers was doing a perm. All of a sudden, Danny says "I'm going outside. It STINKS in here!". Everybody laughed. When I run into the shop owner, who is retired now, she still brings that up and laughs.
Hol, I consider "quick redirection" pulling a book or toy out of the diaper bag, taking the little one over to the window of the restaurant to see the bird in the tree, or counting all the red cars that pass us by. I think there are many parents who choose not to "swat on the bottom" for many reasons. I couldn't imagine knowing my daughter is obedient, well behaved, and compliant because she is afraid I will hurt her. I am one of those parents who could never, ever use physical punishment as a form of discipline. Just giving you another perspective, Hol.
I agree with you totally about verbal abuse. It's heart breaking to hear the way some people talk to their children.
I understand what you are saying, Nicki. However, when you open handed swat a bottom that is padded with a diaper, it is more the noise than the sensation of being swatted, when they won't pay attention. I, too, would never inflict pain on my children. MY parents certainly believed in corporal punishment (i.e. belts, paddles, fly swatters. My Mom was also a "face slapper" which is such an indignity) and I don't advocate that at all. It still carries painful memories for me.
However, if the child is running into danger and you can't get their attention any other way, sometimes you have to resort to something that will.
Even my dogs...I just roll up a newspaper and slap it on my HAND and the noise is enough to get them to stop.
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