baby with a temper

[amanda1]

I hope no one is offended by me saying this, but my dd #2 has a terrible temper. She is only 7 mo but she arches her back & screams when she needs something, in fact she screams a lot. I know it's hard to tell with a non-verbal 7 mo but she definitely behaves as if she's going to have a bad temper as she gets older. I was wondering how to deal with that as she gets older and if there are any good books on the subject. I'm in the pprocess of teaching her ASL, which I hope will help but I want to be prepared to help her deal with frustration in a better way.

[MarynMunchkins]

Does she scream just when she wants something? Or most of the time?

I had a couple babies who were like that early on, and there were other issues present than just a bad temper. :)

[allisonintx]

You've got to understand that she's really really frustrated because she can understand you, and even though she's trying, you can't understand her.

You can't give her tools she's not ready for, and you've got a great plan for working toward giving her the kind she is ready for.

I found my second and subsequent children were frustrated earlier than my first was, because in their brains, they seemed to think they were the same as the oldest.

[amanda1]

It could be the second child thing because she is always trying to keep up with her big sister. She screams a lot, I think she just likes making that sound, but she screams in a way that sounds like anger when she's waiting to be fed and if she's tired almost every time. Most babies just cry (or at least the ones I've been around) It just appears to be angerful to me, but maybe it is just frustration. I'm really hoping it will be something she outgrows as her verbal and physical skills improve but I want to be prepared if it's not. My aunt apparently had a bad temper as a small child (and still does) so I fear it's hereditary