Tantrums cause permanent Zits.

My son has discovered screaming. It's no longer tantrums and yelling, it's tantrums and screaming. Like, if we're outside and then I try to take him inside, he screams. It's piercing. It's loud. It's embarrassing...

I got to thinking that maybe my son was the only 14-month-old in the history of the world to ever have complete meltdown/temper tantrums accompanied by shrieking screams and rolling around on the floor...because judging by the looks on the people's faces in the grocery store or at the park, he's an anomaly. I mean, sure- you'd expect this behavior from a two-year-old... but he's just barely ONE and he's already a pro.

Then I read some other moms on the Berkeley Parent's Network website talking about their kids who are Ezra's age who are having these tantrums as well. Then, instantly, the world was OK again. He's not an anomaly! He's a little boy. He's not a monster seeking to destroy his mommy! He's just Ezra.

I've since decided to ignore his little outbreaks, and when he settles down, I'm going to calmly tell him that tantrums cause permanent zits and that he'd better be careful because some day he's going to be in high school and blemishes don't help get prom dates.

I think it's probably a good thing that he's going through this stage right now, because when he hits two and all his other little friends are just starting to having tantrums, I'll be the "rock solid" mom -- (the one that is the seasoned pro at dealing with the fits), and all the other moms will stare at me with a mixture of awe and wonder as I saunter into a room- completely calm, cool, and collected- with a matching pair of shoes on my feet and an obliging, blemish-free child on my hip...

hehe.