SO.... Is my 8 month old having temper tantrums???

[goddess25]

Ok so recently my 8 month old boy looks like he has been having temper tantrums for no apparent reason that i can figure out. He likes being held and walked around. When I try to do quiet time ie/ holding him and reading or singing or even when we are playing with his toys if something happens that he doesnt like, he starts to arch his back, scream and start having a tantrum. I am pretty sure its a tantrum as he looks really angry. He has never been a baby that likes being cuddled unless he wants to be. He screams like this for some time. I know that so far he is a very strong willed little boy but I dont want him to end up being a brat so I have been putting him down onto the floor and walking away letting him have his tantrum and picking him up again when its over.

A friend told me that there is no way a 8 month old can have temper tantrums and is incapable of manipulation, and that he must be doing this for another reason, eg/ in pain/hungry etc. Do you think this is true? I feel really bad if he is behaving like this for another reason but I dont think he is. Any better ways I could deal with this situation for those of you who have experienced it already.

Any advice appreciated. Any good parenting books anyone can recommend?

 

[CeliaM]

I say follow your gut on this one. You know your baby best! I think kids this young can get frustrated about things... when my LO sees his bottle, if it takes me a while to give it to him, he gets mad. He also gets frustrated if there is something out of his reach that he wants.

I don't know that leaving him alone to have his tantrum will help at all yet, as he probably doesn't really get what's going on there, but it also doesn't hurt him and will eventually get the point across as he gets older.

 

[nkbapbt]

I dont think for a second an 8 month old baby isn't capable of having a bit of a temper tantrum. Lakai is very easy going but he knows how to get what he wants, which is usually to be with me. He will throw a fit in order to get what he wants!!

I think they are fully able to manipulate and make things happen to get what they want!!

I don't think though that at this age that giving them what they want within reason, will turn them into brats.

I cant imagine how frustrating it must be for them to know what they want, but have very limited means of communicating what they want. Crying and having temper tantrums are just ways of expressing themselves, in extreme ways..I think until they are older and able to communicate is when the brattiness can come because they also understand more...does that make sense?

I hope so..Im really tired!

 

[happy&healthy]

My 8th month old throws tantrums! And now she throws tantrums because her toys don't do what she wants them to. Or the thing she uses as her walker hits against an object or wall and she can't walk anymore. Sometimes I have to put her toys away because she gets so mad at them.

 

[krissie1234uk]

Dylan has temper tantrums! I think it is due to frustration and lack of other ways of communication. It's not really manipulation - it's just how they are able to communicate until they can tell us what they want.

 

[Lois]

Evie is just over 8 months and has started doing this too. I feel confident that it is the beginning of tantrums and not that she is in pain. She also arches her back (have to watch out if I am holding her because she ends up smacking my face with the back of her head-ouch!) and starts screaming. They are definitely more frequent when she is tired as she is more easily upset.

I don't believe there is any conscious intention to manipulate, they don't think "right, I'll throw a paddy and Ill get what I want" - it's just that they are utterly frustrated that they can't have what they want right there and then. I think it can become manipulative behaviour if a parent rewards it by giving in repeatedly though and on that basis I think you're right to leave LO to it and come back to him when he is calm - obviously assuming he is left to have his paddy in a safe environment. You're giving him the right message imo.

Lx

 

[Beltane]

Mine does this also. Definately the beginning of what looks like a tantrum. Most likely just aggravated that he can't communicate what the heck he wants.