Screecher Creature

Little is a screamer.  She screams when she's mad, unhappy, or just wants attention.  Sometimes, she screams because she's curious.  Often, all these things come down to:

Mad:  Mommy, you're not HOLDING me!!!!!

Sad:  Mommy, where did you gooooooooooo?  Come back!  You don't need the bathroom!  Your bladder can take it!

Attention:  Mommy, forget about dinner.  No one needs clean underwear-I'll share the diapers.  Just LOOK AT ME!  LOOK AT ME NOW!!!  WAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Curious:  Hey, Mommy, that's cool!  I WANT that!

Notice a theme here?

It's hard enough getting through the day with a Screecher Creature-chances are, you're up during the night, too.

But seriously, folks, I'm not paying any extra for the sarcasm or the judgementalness, ok?

I get it-I really do.  I get out of libraries ASAP if Little Miss Screams-Her-Head-Off starts up.  And I completely understand wanting to savor some coffee in peace.  But please, just consider the fact often times, it's JUST not feasible to pick up a screaming kid and leave immediately.  

Like when you are trying to buy groceries because you're completely out of milk or diapers or laundry detergent.  These are not luxuries.  And stores really don't like it when you  walk out without paying, or abandon shopping carts full of food in the middle of the store.  They dislike it so much they may ask you not to come back.  They also really hate when you take the stuff without paying for it at all.  Screaming doesn't translate to currency.

Or when you've got more than one child to wrangle and explain why you've got to leave before you said you would.

And sometimes, you just REALLY need that cup of coffee, if only for a short lived delusion that there is some scrap of sanity hiding in the caffiene that will help me make it home after a sleepless night followed by a packed day of errands.  Promise to get it to go.

I get it.  It's hard for you too.  You're frustrated.  I even understand the dirty looks.

But seriously folks, I don't need people telling me what I'm doing wrong.  I don't need you to snap at me in front of my children, or try to shame me for not being perfectly in tune with the needs and wants of my infant, and the needs and wants of every other person in the vicinity. Telling me what NOT to do does not help to fix the problem.   It does make me madder, more frustrated, and more likely to respond in kind.

Having a Screecher Creature is hard enough.   I'm trying to teach her other options, but she is, after all, a baby.  She can't talk yet, and it's frustrating for her too, and it's going to take a while for her to get it.  

So, please, just show her a good example, and don't throw a temper tantrum because of a Screecher Creature.  I'm trying to break her of the habit.