Battling with toddlers tantrum
Hi guys, this article will be talking about ‘ How to deal with toddler tantrums. This topic is ‘ suggested ‘ by one of our readers.
Dealing with toddler tantrums could be challenging. So I hope with this article, I can help you overcome the battle. so we will be looking at;
- Definition of tantrum
- How to avoid a tantrum
- What to do during a tantrum
- Aftermath of tantrum
Tantrums are how young children show that they are upset or frustrated, children tend to have meltdowns when they are tired, hungry, or uncomfortable and their actions range from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, holding breath.
Tantrums are a normal part of children’s development so don’t freak out when you see your child in this mode.
Children’s tantrums are common in their second year of life when their language skills are starting to develop. Because at this stage toddlers can’t express themselves, they can’t say what they want, what they feel or need, thus their best way of expressing themselves is through tantrums.
Most times toddlers want independence, they want to do things themselves which are more than they can handle, there is this power struggle of ’ i can do it myself ‘, ‘i want this and that’.
When they discover things don’t go their way they feel frustrated and may end up throwing tantrums.
How to avoid tantrums
It’s both in the interest of you and your toddler to avoid tantrums because when you don’t prevent it in the first place, you as the adult around them may end up being frustrated as well, and am sure you wouldn’t want that, so here are some ideas that may help;
Related; 7 effective strageties of dealing with challenging behaviors
Positive attention
give plenty of positive attention to your child by rewarding and praising their little positive behaviors/actions.
Keep objects out of sight
best to keep things you don’t want them to reach out of sight in other to prevent a power struggle
Use the magic action ‘distraction’
since children have short attention spans, take advantage of this by offering them things they can have in place of things they can’t have, or better still change the environment, move them to a different room or take them outside.
Give choices
try to give toddlers some control over little things, give them choices such as ‘’ would you like pringles or cookies’’ or ‘’would you like your dinosaur pajamas or mickey mouse pajamas?’’ This way, you let them take charge.
Know your child’s limits;
be attentive to your child’s limits, if you know your child is tired, it’s not the best time to take them to a playdate, shopping, or party.
Consider your child’s request;
carefully consider your child’s request before yielding, ensure your answer is what’s best for both of you.
Related; 7 effective strageties of dealing with challenging behaviors
What to do during a tantrum
Sometimes, tantrums are inevitable, if you are unable to avoid them below are what you should do during tantrums;
- Keep cool; keeping your cool is the best way to respond to children’s tantrums, don’t complicate the situation with your anger, keep your cool and attend to them calmly.
- Assess the situation; toddlers throw tantrums depending on different situations. So, it’s best to assess the situation and deal with it depending on what upsets them. If your child is tired, It’s time for a nap, if he is hungry he needs snacks, sometimes, all they need is comfort while, at other times, it’s best to ignore or distract with a new activity.
- If a tantrum happens after a child is told to do something they don’t want to do( for example, tidying up toys or putting away a lunch box ) it’s best to ignore the tantrum, when they are calm, ensure you follow through by having them complete the task.
- Be consistent; do not give in to Child tantrums because if you do, you are empowering them to throw tantrums when they are not having their way.
- During tantrums, kids who are in danger of hurting themself or others around them should be taken to a safe area to calm.
Tantrums plus negative behaviors such as hitting should be frown
tell the child to stop, if he will not stop, go down to the child level, hold firmly, tell them to stop ( never, give in on safety issues), sit them down to calm down, and when they are calm, let them know such behavior is unacceptable.
Related; 7 effective strageties of dealing with challenging behaviors
Tantrum aftermath Episode
Children tend to feel vulnerable after tantrums, so you must make them feel better, hug them and let them know you love them and that you are no longer angry at them, try listening to the reason for their actions, and let them know what you want them to learn about the situation and reassure them of your Love,
With too little sleep, children tend to become hyper and throw tantrums so, ensure your child is getting enough sleep.
Dealing with tantrums requires lots of patients and understanding and, possessing these virtues will help your little bloom blossom and be happy.
have got a video from kelly Bourne thought it might also help
Comments are closed.