Anonymous advive request screaming kid!!!

I've got an 18 month old dc child who screams at the top of her lungs when she doesn't get her way, when she wants something, and sometimes even just randomly. It's loud and I mean I my ears ring afterwards at times. It's happening more frequently throughout the days now, like a bunch of times every hour. I've tried softly saying no screaming thank you, I've tried time out for one minute (only makes it worse) and I have not idea what else to try. It's disrupting my daycare, waking up the other kids when they are sleeping, and today my own started screaming in the same manner. I consider myself a very patient person but this is really starting to become problematic and I could really use some advice! Thanks

OMG did you talk to the parents... what did they say about that ?

When the one I had started the screams I would just look at her with my stern face and voice and tell her to knock it off or take it to bed in proper toddler wording of course. Then she had her chance to get composure or she went to her playpen till she did. The sceaming was for attention and she hated that it didn't get her what she wanted.

I know the sound. This one was so bad as a baby even at home the parents were sure on the first day of care they were going to arrive and I would be saying nope get out of here - and this was a returning family. Big brother was so not like this little one at all. He was really good at yelling at her and he didn't mince his words.

Have you tried separating her when she starts screaming like this? Put her in a play pen that is away from your group, don't give her attention for the screaming. Watch her when she's doing this. Does she calm down at all? I've actually seen kids scream, stop, make eye contact and then start again.

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Originally Posted by JennJubie

Have you tried separating her when she starts screaming like this? Put her in a play pen that is away from your group, don't give her attention for the screaming. Watch her when she's doing this. Does she calm down at all? I've actually seen kids scream, stop, make eye contact and then start again.

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This is what I would do also. No toys, no friends, just separate her in a safe place and tell her she has to calm herself then she will be allowed to have fun.

I currently have three kids who are in this stage of tantrums and screaming for attention. I just remove them from the room and give them no attention. Once they stop, I go get them and ask them if they are ready to join the others and have fun. I also purposely do something I know they like doing so they understand that they miss out on fun stuff while they are calming down.

I had a little one like this. It was random and whenever she didn't get her own way. I talked to her parents and had them toughen up on her. She never got her way when this happened (the screaming). If she wanted a toy and screamed, she got nothing, if she wanted goldfish at snack and screamed she got taken out of her highchair, if she wanted to be the first to go outside in the backyard and screamed she had to be last, if she wanted to sit in the front of the stroller and screamed she got put in the back etc etc......I always talked to her in a soft voice and showed her when other children asked nicely that they got what they wanted. Eventually she tried it one day (asking nicely) and I made a HUGE deal out of it, celebrated and told her "BRAVO" (she's french) hugged and kissed her and showed the other kids that she was asking nicely!!!!!! From then on she tried so hard to please me she started to ask nicely more and more........now she never screams. Took a solid couple of months though......good luck as it was tough on us and the kids!!!!

Maybe she just needs to learn to use her words instead of screaming? For example when she wants a toy someone else is playing with and starts screaming, remind her to use her words and say "can I please have a turn Johnny" or something along those lines. Could just be a communication thing. Otherwise I would continue with time outs...good luck!

I had a screamer I would take him and put him in his bed until he decided that wasn't working for him. Often he would fall asleep (mid screaming session!). I think sometimes they are overtired and cant deal with life and lash out by screaming to get their own way.