How to Deal with a Toddler's Tantrum

(Yes, this is a not-so-veiled commentary about the way #Trump is handling the #ElectionResults.)

There's a story about three couples having a dinner party in which one of the couples had to bring their toddler. In the middle of an otherwise lovely dinner, the toddler suddenly throws a tantrum to the point of throwing up!

The mother of the child instinctively puts her hands underneath the child's mouth catching the vomit while the other parent reaches for wipes and such with one hand while waving over a server for some help with the other.

A second couple at the table who don't have any children react quite differently. The husband gets so queasy at the sight of it, he doesn't know if he's going to pass out or throw up himself. So he darts off to the bathroom. His wife is also shaken and is so frantic in her desire to help without actually knowing what to do that she only exacerbates the chaos.

Meanwhile, the third couple at the table have children of their own but they were able to get a sitter. So they just calmly continue eating, almost amused by the entertainment of the high drama of which they're feeling fortunate to be merely observers.

Now we can picture Donald Trump as the toddler at the party. Regardless of whether you support him or not, can we all just admit Trump is gonna Trump? And when it comes to losing this election, Trump's gonna Trump like he's never Trumped before. So the question for the adults in the room is, how do we each react to the tantrums and the puking?

Thus far, Mitch McConnell appears to be assuming the role of the mother catching some of the puke so as not to make too big of a mess while doing his best to allow the party to proceed. Some Republican Senators, Congressman and Governors are waving over some help (i.e. lawsuits and investigations) while reaching for the wipes (i.e. recounts).

(To be fair, many in the above groups are put in nearly impossible situations. The idea that they're assuming one public facing posture in order to placate their respective bases while actually working productively behind the scenes is not too far-fetched of a possibility.)

Many in the media are either getting queasy or totally freaking out about the mess without knowing exactly what to do or how bad the situations is going to get.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden seems to be the one who has kids and has been through it enough to have gotten a sitter. So he's just enjoying his meal and is somewhat amused by the sideshow.

Again the question is, when you have a screaming child, whether he's sick or just throwing a tantrum, how do you deal with the situation?

Many of us want to yell at the child or even, dare I say, resort to spanking. But we know that's not a terribly enlightened way to deal with it as it only adds to the chaos and feeds into the primal form of manipulation the little creature is trying to assert. Similarly, while freaking out or feeling sick is completely understandable, that's not productive either.

Alternatively, staying calm and trusting that we've prepared for this - yes, our institutions are strong - while not feeding into the tantrums and craziness, indeed rejecting their effectiveness as a tool for manipulation and merely going about the business at hand; whether that's managing the peaceful transfer of power or simply enjoying our dinner, this seems to be the most appropriate response.

*I know, I know. We're not supposed to talk about politics and religion. Well, too bad! For those of us who value virtues such as civility and nuance, this is an effort to seize back some of this space that's been dominated by no one other than screamers. If you appreciate such conversations and want to hear more of these conversations among those who disagree without being disagreeable, who appreciate compromise and even collaboration with those who have different perspectives, please check out our podcast:

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