Keep Calm and Sing On

A piercing scream let out, so I went running. Given the decibels and duration of the scream, I expected to find blood or grey matter on the concrete. Instead I found water. Ying was trying to pour water from a cup into a spray bottle and lost hold of the cup.

After I refilled the cup I told her she HAD to stop screaming when she was frustrated, remarking “we’re going to have to teach you how to curse instead.”

Grandparents of Ying, fear not, we won’t turn her into a salty sailor. But after I made the offhanded remark, I actually thought about what I’d just said. Ying gets legitimately frustrated and she needs away to work through that frustration. My telling her to quit yelling isn’t helping. I need to show her what to do with that frustration.

We have a calming jar. I actually made it for Luk Chaai but both kids like to look at the falling glitter, particularly when they’re already calm. Thus defeating the purpose. But as fond as I am of the calming jar, I don’t really think it works in this situation. 

Because I have one child who frequently gets compared to a “spider monkey jacked up on Dew,” Ying, Luk Chaai and I do yoga for kids together sometimes. (That’s a Talladega Nights reference,  courtesy of my husband).  So I’m going to try having Ying doing breathing techniques in place of screaming.

But I think the best technique may be to teach her a little song she can hum or sing when she gets frustrated. We’re going to find a song just for this situation and we will sing instead of scream.

I sure hope it works. Of course, if it does, my ears will be kicking me that I didn’t think of it sooner.