I'm working on my web site tonight, trying to do it all "just right" and finally understanding why people pay someone else to do it! The tech support at Godaddy.com is great, but it's complicated, even for the moderately savvy. This process reminds me how much children struggle to learn things that we consider easy, everyday affairs. From learning to pet the kitty gently to learning how to tie shoes, to learning how to say the words that help you get what you need from others, life is the constant wonder and strain of the new. And just like me tonight, they drop from sheer exhaustion, overwhelmed by the new information their brains will process as they sleep.
I can imagine how much worse it feels to be loaded down with information, experiences emotions, desires and needs, only to bump into a frustration they cannot possibly solve. Many adults melt down on these occasions, and we have much better emotional regulation skills than children. Solving those meltdowns should start right there: understanding what's going on in your child's mind when she loses it. Chances are, she just needs a calm voice to guide her back to balance. Try just holding out your arms and saying, "I need a hug," and see if that doesn't help your child come around.
Engaged parents, happy babies
