You’re shopping with your kid in a supermarket. He has spied on a product that you don’t intend to buy. Suddenly, you are in the centre of a temper tantrum. Sounds familiar?
Temper tantrums are part and parcel of a growing child. But finding the right way to respond to temper tantrums can help you prevent them.
So, Why do these emotional meltdowns happen? What’s the best response? How can we prevent them?
A tantrum is the expression of a child’s frustration with respect to his or her limitations or anger about not being able to get the things done as per their wish. This situation arises when children don’t find the right words to express their feelings. This results in frustration followed by an emotional outburst – which is best described as temper tantrum.
As adults we have developed self-control and have the ability to manage our emotions better, but our children don’t possess that skill yet. And this difficulty in managing emotions is often what results in challenging behaviours like tantrums occurring whenever they are told they need to transition from one activity to the next.
Tantrums are a common occurrence during toddlerhood and they can start as early as nine months of age and continue for years to come. Temper tantrums can take more of a toll on parents than the child so, in this article we have talked about a few tips that help you handle your children’s emotions better this holiday season.
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Making a pact
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Having a discussion with your enraged toddler is not the way to go forward. Make a bargain with them rather than arguing. For example, tell them you understand they are upset right now, but they can have a cookie once they have finished their meal. When it comes to raising your little loved ones, you need to put in a lot of thought and effort controlling your own temper.
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Blowing bubbles
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Unbelievably, one of the simplest ways to diffuse tense situations with the kids is to get out the bubble wand and blow bubbles together. It is a proven fact that bubbles can both distract as well as relax kids. Blowing bubbles encourages you and your child to take slow and deep breaths in and out, which is a well-known technique for regaining composure when feeling frustrated. It’s a win-win situation for both you and your toddler!
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Quick snack time
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Kids who are hungry become cranky. Never undervalue the influence of hunger. Even if it is only 15 minutes before supper, get them a watermelon slice to stave them off crankiness. A quick, healthy snack goes a long way in minimising toddler temper tantrums.
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Keep yourself busy
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This method requires you to maintain your composure, so it’s definitely best to avoid doing it while you’re already stressed. Get distracted by doing something, like reading a magazine or preparing dinner and completely ignore your child’s tantrum. Tell them “Let me know when you’re finished”, and then ignore them until they stop being agitated. This technique will help your children understand that throwing tantrums isn’t going to help them get what they want.
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Speak calmly
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Children who are upset find it difficult to process a lot of information. It is therefore important for parents to help them understand the situation using simple phrases, a calm voice and a steady tone. Later, when the two of you are considerably calmer, you can give that lengthy, lesson-delivering lecture. When they throw a tantrum, assist them in better expressing their emotions by engaging them in art, craft, or sensory play or divert their attention with a fun picture book. Sometimes reading to them also helps.
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Engage in physical contact
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If your toddler is upsetting others, go on your knees and take a few seconds to hold them by the hands. With closer physical contact, children typically respond more positively.
What causes children to act out?
Children use tantrums as a form of self-expression. Since toddlers lack the ability to express themselves verbally they generally scream, shout, wail and kick, frequently while lying on the floor.
When can you anticipate tantrums?
The “terrible twos” are something that most parents fear, yet tantrums can start much younger, at around 14 to 15 months. Children are at a developmental stage between the ages of 1-3 years old. They are naturally curious at this age. When their explorations are obstructed by adults, they feel frustrated at every turn. Have you ever noticed how toddlers prefer to attempt to push large objects or carry a lot of things at once, yet they constantly drop them? This is an example of how physically ambitious children can be.
When do temper tantrums ease up?
As your child’s self-control improves, temper tantrums tend to ease off. Every child is unique and this will depend on a variety of other variables like for instance, children may regress during periods of emotional upheaval, such as moving into a new home or a new school. Parents must be aware of potential triggers, and make sure they keep their kids away from them.
Wishing you a fun-filled & tantrum-free holiday season! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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