The “Tantrum” Center

So this week we are on a family vacation in Branson, Missouri and the week has been filled with good times at the pool, playing outside, and some sight-seeing.  But it has also been filled with a lot of tantrums…  from BOTH boys!  For example yesterday we went to the Discovery Center in Springfield.  I wasn’t really sure what kind of play area it would be and was excited to see it was a Science Center when we got there.  The bonus was our Zoo/Science membership from back home had reciprocity at this Museum and we got in for free!  WOO HOO!

So Dad took Peyton around the Museum…

While Daddy and Jackson explored…

Clearly Dad’s phone takes much better pictures!  LOL.  And his camera even takes pictures and saves them.  I had some great shots of Jackson playing with this cool bubble machine and my phone didn’t save any of them for some reason. 

Anyway, we had a great time exept for when the whining and the tantrums started!

Jackson and I were on the top floor walking around the experiment section where kids learn about bacteria and such and Jackson started whining.  “This is boring!”  “I want to go back downstairs!”  “I don’t want to do this!”  I know I said things like this when I was a kid, but sometimes Jackson gets the impression that it’s the ‘Jackson Show’ 24/7 here and it’s all about him.  And anyone who knows Daddy knows, it’s all about ME!  LOL.    So finally, after I had enough of the whining, I took his hand and we walked all the way downstairs passing all of the fun things that he wanted to do.  Once we finally found Dad and Peyton the tears started but he calmed down quickly.  Anyway, we all went back around to the exhibits and played some more before leaving.  So it all worked out in the end, but I was aggravated that something fun for all of us to do became such an annoyance to Daddy!

Peyton has not been problem free on this trip either, that’s for sure!  At the Discovery Center he was obsessed with the elevator and pushing all of the buttons. For as many times as we tried to distract him with other things, he kept going back there.  Finally, we had to just pick him up and move him away from the elevator and the sippy cup slapped in the floor and the screaming started!  No, not just screaming, that high-pitched shrill scream that makes every person in the building look to see “What are you doing to that poor child!”  Even tonight we all went to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream and afterwards in the parking lot Peyton threw a huge fit because we were getting into the car–he threw his sippy cup which exploded all over the park lot and rolled down the hill!  UGH!  I’m sure it has a lot to do with over-stimulation and being off-schedule some, but we do wish he’d chill out a little bit with these temper tantrums!  So I think I’m going to have the following put on a shirt for Peyton…

because this is exactly what happens!!  LOL.  Who else can relate to this?