Train Your Two Year Old

Article 17/365 of Jacques’s writing quest

The other day I misplaced my keys (again) and lost my shit. I hadn’t lost my temper in a long time, so it was a strange and debilitating feeling. I had the most awful temper when I was younger, and I knew that if I never got it under control it would destroy me.

Because we are justifying machines, I found a great but stupid reason for my volatility: my bloodline. I have Spanish, French and Arab coursing through my veins. It was a cute and convenient excuse for my ‘passionate’ disposition. 

But it wasn’t cute at all, it was sad. Luckily, I learned early on in my life that whenever I flew off the handle I looked like a two-year-old child who had no control of his emotions.

You know the one I’m talking about, don’t you? You’ve probably experienced temper tantrums and attention-seeking from a two-year-old, possibly your own? Feeling embarrassed when people look at you and judge you, saying “Control your child.” At that moment you (and everyone else) wished that you’d taken birth control.

When we see an adult behaving like a two-year-old, it’s always uncomfortable for everyone involved, isn’t it?

Of course, you’re smart enough to know that sometimes we behave like that two-year-old. And, more often, than we’d care to admit.

And, nobody wants a two-year-old messing up their vibe.

So, what’s the trick to dealing with your two-year-old self? I find that becoming an observer works for me. Going from unconscious to conscious. Hmm, I see my child is becoming problematic and making everyone feel uncomfortable. Let me remove him from this situation. He’s not in control, I am. He needs to learn to behave appropriately. 

Don’t let the tail wag the dog. You’re the adult, act like it and train your child how to behave appropriately.