Face Raking? Temper Tantrum? - 8 Months old

DS is 8 months and since 7 months he's gotten into face raking me and DH or anyone when he gets mad or doesn't get his way. He literally scratches and rakes at our face. I try to hold his hands when he does this and say "No, this hurts mommy." but he fights me. He'll also throw himself back and cry and scream if he doesn't get to do what he wants. He just wants what he wants when he wants it and when he's told No or it's taken away it's bad.

Has this happened to anyone else at this age??? Can an 8month throw a tantrum? Am I not handling the face raking thing correctly? Am I not handling how I correct him the right way?

UGH...this kid has a mind of his own and is really strong willed

Message edited 1/5/2011 10:02:54 AM.

Re: Face Raking? Temper Tantrum? - 8 Months old

Anyone?

Re: Face Raking? Temper Tantrum? - 8 Months old

My DS is 8 months too and when he gets angry/mad, he will grunt or push/swat me away. He will also cry if I take something away from him he cant have, but he recovers quickly if I take it out of sight and replace it with something else. He definitely knows what he wants., but not sure I would call it a tantrum. I think it's a normal stage of development. As for face raking, does he do it any other time? i think you are hadling it appropriately and as long as you are consistent, he will start to understand. GL!

Re: Face Raking? Temper Tantrum? - 8 Months old

DS (10 months next week does this when he's in a good curious mood and wants us to name the parts of our face he's touching. He rakes his own face when he's annoyed at something.

But, he does through tantrums and has been doing it since 8m. I thought it was bizarre. I guess he's just advanced in that department he throws them just like a 2 year old would! He arches his back and throws himself back on the floor, kicking his legs and screaming.

There are many different ways to deal with it, for us I found ignoring doesn't do much, and it hasn't lessened the outbursts for for us. When I told him "no mommy doesn't like that" i felt he ignored me. It didn't work for me. It might be a phase, it might go away when they learn to express themselves better. But I am not one to wait for a phase to pass.

This is what I do. I physically move him and say "Noah angry! Noah mad! Noah want xyz!" as if he had he words, and I yell it as loud as he's screaming, until he quiets down. He either comes down to a whine or is dumbfounded for a a second. I interject and calmly as possibly can say "no!" he will either stop, or lessen his tantrum, I repeat, and do it till he cooperates.

It has honestly helped us tons. I got him to stay seated in the bath, stay away from the kitchen (which doesn't have a gate right now), cooperate during putting on his coat (which he hates more than anything).

I learned about this weird technique from Happiest Toddler on the Block. I figured if he's going to act like a terrible 2, he's going to be treated like one.

Message edited 1/5/2011 12:24:23 PM.

Re: Face Raking? Temper Tantrum? - 8 Months old

Thank you ladies. He really just does this when he gets upset and wants something he can't have.

I might try physically moving him rather than trying to restrain his hands which seems to piss him off even more.

I did clip his nails last night...those things were like claws..and that's that I clip them regularly!