Gratifying AND hilarious:

[sarahmichelef]

The scene: our living room.  G (who is 5) and her mom K are about to leave after a couple hours' playdate that involved dressup (master_mr , please let your lovely wife know that the mermaid costume from almost 2 years ago still fits TRex, more or less), playing with the dollhouse, and lots of running around in the sprinkler outside.

K: OK, it's time to go home now.
G: I don't like you!  I'm going to push you away from me forEVER!*
K: If you're going to freak out, we're not going to be able to have another playdate.
G: I don't care!  I don't like you!  I'm going to run away from you!
K: Can you wait to freak out until we're in the car please?

Gratifying both because G clearly had a good time and because my kid is not the only one who freaks out at the drop of a hat.  Hilarious because G's objections were registered using EXACTLY THE SAME TONE AND INFLECTION that TRex uses when she informs us "I'm going to throw you in the trash can!" and similar things.

Comments

[alphasarah.livejournal.com]

It's a balance between ignoring the tantrum and correcting the language - with TRex, ignoring the tantrum is the only way to deal with it; talking to her during it only winds her up more. Talking to her after might, but I doubt she would remember the next time she was feeling mad at us.