If you're a mama or someone who's around kids, I'm sure the sight below is VERY familiar.

Ah, meltdowns...gotta love 'em!

C is ATTACHED to her Daddy on the weekends. She ALWAYS wants him to hold her and if he's making dinner or doing something and he can't hold her in that instant, she has major, MAJOR meltdowns (and she wants nothing to me...so it starts! ha!).

I tell him I'm SO glad it's him and not me because I already went through this stage awhile back. I know she does this because he's gone all week at work and she doesn't see him as much as see's me.

This past month, C learned how to open all the doors in the house (even with the baby proof door nobs on). So, that means, NO nap time for her (mama is having her own meltdowns over this!! ha!). I still tell her we have quiet time, but trying to get her to nap doesn't work.

The only way I've been able to get her nap is to take her for a car ride, but, she wakes up as soon as we are back at the house.

A few weekends ago, D was painting our bedroom. I had to watch C and make sure she didn't get too involved with the paint. So this meant, NOT being around Daddy. Oh boy! It was rough. She had MELTDOWNS the entire day. The most I'd ever seen. My heart ached for her. It's SO hard watching your child crying like that.

During one of her meltdowns, I asked her if she wanted to color. She replied back, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Well, I got the pad and crayons anyway and I sat down by her. She moved away from me to the couch. I then moved to opposite side of the couch. I placed the pad on the coffee table and I began coloring.

I didn't ask her if she wanted to color this time. I sat there talking to myself, "Hmmm....what color will I choose next. Yes! Purple! Maybe I'll draw a flower. Oooo....or how about a heart" while she proceeded to cry and BE mad on the couch.

After 5 minutes or so of doing this, she finally got off the couch and came over to me and grabbed a crayon and began coloring.

(Yes, those are my drawings below!)

Her tears immediately dried up and she started talking to me about the colors and she was smiling.

Then she said, "the pillow is angry" - referring to where she was sitting having her meltdown. And, I told her, yes, and we started to talk about the meltdown. I was then able to talk to her calmly, with her full attention, and tell her that Daddy was painting and we'll see him very soon. I told her, that yes, I want to BE with Daddy, too, but right now he's painting. Once he's done, we will all be with him.

Her tears never came back. She was calm. And she began to scribble even more. (That's her hand getting her fussiness out through coloring..hehe!)

And before I knew it, she was happy Lil' C again!

I do this A LOT with C. When she's stuck in her meltdown mode, she doesn't hear me at all. She's completely stuck in her left-brain. So, every time she gets this way, I just stop and color. Again, I don't even ask her if she wants to color.

So far, it works EVERY time! Sure, some days it takes a little longer for her to come over and color with me, but she ALWAYS does come over.

She's calm (she enters right brain!) in no time and then we talk about what's going on. And then we continue on with our day.

So if you're ever around these wonderful meltdowns, try this! It may help! :)

Do you deal with meltdowns? Have any tips on how you handle them? I'd love to hear them!

Until next time...

{life is colorful}