Turning a corner on the irrational tantrum front

Now, I am not for one moment claiming this is the last we have heard of the ear-splitting howls of hell that emanate from his chops at the mere suggestion of the word “no”.

I am quite convinced we will be treated to another show-stopping performance in Adsa as he crumples to the floor in response to a negative on the chocolate front.

All I am suggesting is that, credit where it is due, he seems to have cut back on the regularity and length of his strops.

In fact, his latest drama queen efforts have me in stitches as I swear he is auditioning for a West End show, such is the convincing portrayal of hard done-by toddler.

Lately, he simply goes for the sympathy vote, moving from scolding parent to A. N. Other who will console him in his hour of need.

The other morning he was being particularly tricky and, after a few blubbering lips at the idea of getting him out of his pyjamas, he collapsed into a familiar bawling heap on the floor.

Having had enough I said, as he drew his next breath for more wailing, that if he was going to behave like that I would rather he went away and did it somewhere else.

He stopped, blinked, and I repeated: “Go on, just go away.”

Incredulous, he picked himself up with, I kid you not, his arm across his forehead in a dramatic nature and swept out of the bathroom to seek out his dad.

Luckily, he was in earshot so I heard Ben re-tell the story of my brutality, in which he said: “Mummy told me to go away daddy….Why would she say that? Why daddy? Why?”

I was almost tempted to give him a standing ovation for his “woe is me” speech but instead I dissolved into a fit of giggles. I then watched as his dad tried to explain why exactly it was his mother had so callously shunned him.

Having hopefully grasped the fact that no one in their right mind would want to be around a wailing three-year-old, Ben dropped the victim act, capitulated on the pyjama front and positively bounced downstairs to see what other areas of conflict he could conjure up.