Jamison and his midnight tantrums...

I am sure that any parent can relate to toddler tantrums. Fortunately Jamison isn't too bad. I can almost always talk him out of a tantrum but even better I am great at avoiding them in the first place. I like to set him up for success in that department. When I am fast asleep, however, I am unable to prevent them let alone talk him out of one.

Jamison's latest obsession is cars. Not just any car. Not a Tonka Truck or any other plastic car. It has to be small and metal. He has never formed any real attachment to a teddy bear, blanket or stuffed animal. Oh wait...he has as of lately been totally needing "daddy's pilwo" to sleep. It all started because once in our bed he shares his daddy's pillow with him but now he wants that pillow even when he is in his crib for naps or during the first hour or two of night time before we bring him in our bed. Okay back to my topic. Cars. So Jamison has never formed any real attachment to a teddy bear, blanket or stuffed animal (with the exception of "daddy's pilwo"). Somehow he has become attached to his little metal cars. It really doesn't matter which one as long as he has one in his hand, day or night, he is happy. Sounds simple enough except for the night part. Especially in the middle of the night or early enough the birds aren't chirping yet. Being woken up to your son screaming "hold the car" is not pleasant. It is even worse when you say "Jamison, go night night" and he begins screaming even louder and more hysterical "hold the car"

Finding a little metal car the size of a lime in the middle of the night is not easy, which is why we didn't try. Instead Rob sternly said "Jamison go night night or you will go night night in your crib". I know, I know it is a threat but really neither one of us was interested in searching the house for one of the three cars he loves. So Jamison screamed louder. After trying to convince him he can have his car in the morning with no luck Rob had had enough, he picked him up and took him to his crib. He put him in the crib fully prepared to pat, or rub his back to calm him. There was no need. He stopped crying almost immediately. As Rob looked inquisitively wondering why the sudden change of attitude he noticed Jamison had found that car he so desired right there in his crib. So Rob picked Jamison back up, brought him back to bed and we all slept for the rest of the night.

The trick with Jamison. If he falls asleep with a car in his hand he damn well better wake up with one in his hand too. Day or night it doesn't matter. So if we tell him to put his "truck" away before bedtime the problem is solved.