Quote Originally Posted by Dreamalittledream View Post
Hello! Need advice on a little girl who is currently 3 1/2. I've had her since she was 10 months old. She was such an easy going baby; but has in the last 2 months turned into a total drama queen. Drop off (which has never been any issue at all) is suddenly total all out tantrum, high pitched screaming for Mom. Mom is excellent at just dropping and going & helping out whatever way she can (I too had her other 2 older daughters...who, ironically were the same but not to this scale...just very dramatic). Have tried cuddling her, speaking with her, a stern "stop", having an exciting new activity on the go when she arrives,... but have found she just needs to cry it out. I isolate her to my quiet space (tent with a huge teddy in it) & instruct her that she is welcome to come out when she's ready. As well this response comes with a graze of a ball ("he hit me"!), when she doesn't get a toy she wants...you name it. Grandma has her 1 day a week & same is happening there. Ideas? The high pitched screaming is making me want to buy ear plugs for us all!!
I think the tent for this is a fantastic idea and hopefully it helps her to feel better. What do you do after though? When she calms down and comes and joins the group do you just leave her to it?

I would be having a conversation with her afterwards. She is at an age where she should be able to vocalize her frustrations so she needs to be told and learn that screaming the house down is not the best way to act. It's absolutely okay if she is sad and wants to have a cry, and the tent is a lovely place to snuggle teddy till she feels better, but the screaming is not okay. I would be talking to her to try and establish how she is feeling and why and giving her some tools to handle her emotions in a way that is less disruptive.