I'm 16 months old today!

Today Quinn is 16 months old, though he seems more like a two year old in many ways. It has been a tough week for him with the transition to daycare. Quinn LOVES daycare actually, its the part that comes after that tells me its been hard for him. He loves all of the activities and his new friends, though when he gets home he tantrums like I have never seen him do before and demands to be held or he screams at the top of his lungs. Quinns a good boy and I am not just saying that because he ours. :)  Everything we have learned from adoption classes tells us this is normal behavior for a newly adopted child and frankly, it would have been normal to have experienced it earlier.

We pull from what we have been taught in class - When a child is doing this, its because they feel a loss of control, are fearful of you leaving them, unstable through a transition - and that all makes sense (though that doesnt make my own feelings of joining him in the scream and banging MY head on the ground any less!). Quinn is having a good time at daycare, though when he sees us, maybe he is thinking "oh yeah, I was having fun but now that I see you I am reminded that you left me here all day". Its hard to say, but definitely something I will be asking our social worker when we see him this week.

Parenting in an "attachment parenting" style is challenging, especially as new parents and we try to find our way. I have to really watch him to understand the difference between "I am tired" "vs "I want what I want" vs "I am scared" and so forth to know how to help him. We want to raise a responsible, happy, well adjusted kid. There is a lot of advice that makes sense when a kid has not experienced the loss, or has the trust needed to parent in other styles, for us though, we choose attachment parenting to ensure Quinn develops the trust he needs to feel safe in the world and with us first and foremost.

I found a great article that provides more insight if your interested. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1526836/taming_toddler_temper_tantrums_the.html?singlepage=true&cat=25

I cant wait to experience HALLOWEEN with Quinn! :)