Found the catch with Montelukast the wonder drug

Something's up with Jambeans. She's basically had 2 modes all weekend - either outright anger, or teary moany barely audible wimpers. It started with the big crying fuss at Sophie's birthday party over the balloon (my balloon, my balloon, MY BALLOON... waaaah and so on. Obviously, it was so not her balloon) after which she wailed, in the middle of lunch, at top volume "Want to go home. Want to GO HOME! Sob. Want. sob. Hooome." And she's been a total handful since then.

I know this sounds like typical toddler behaviour, and that's definitely an explanation, but Jasmine is what one would describe as a 'good kid'. She certainly has her diva moments, but they're infrequent and easily manageable. Bf and I are quite relaxed parents, but Jasmine hasn't really given us reason to be more disciplinarian either. Then suddenly, this weekend, a switch flicks inside and she's good to qualify us for Supernanny.

We think it could be the Montelukast - Jasmine's been on it for the last 5 days - and some of the side effects include tiredness, restlessness, agitation, aggressive behaviour and irritability. So we've taken her off and will see if we get our lovely daughter back or whether the Jekyll and Hyde monster is here to stay.

Tommy Lee Jones attitude

One of my favourite film moments is in the remake of The Fugitive. The rozzers (or cops, really) are sneaking round a house where some of the fugitive murderer bad guys are hiding out. One of the baddies grabs hold of the sidekick cop, holds a gun to his head and starts hollering to be let free or the cop gets it. Tommy Lee Jones, being the cool sharp-shooting police dude that he is takes out the baddie in a flash. The sidekick later protests that he could have been killed, and that TLJ could have negotiated. TLJ just whispers coolly in his colleague's ear "I don't negotiate."

It is this detached, unrelenting mindset that I try to emulate as I engage the anti-tantrum shield, stop any attempt to reason with the toddler, and decide that she either eats the food she asked me to cook her, with the fork she asked me for, from the bowl she decided she wanted and then goes to bed OR she can scream until snot comes out of her eyes and then go to bed hungry.