Parenting 101 - Temper Tantrums!

Tantrums

It has happened to just about every parent at one time or another. You're in line at the grocery store and your child has a total meltdown. Everyone is staring at you. What now?
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Why Kids Have Tantrums

Here are some things to keep in mind

　

1. Avoid known tantrum situations. Don’t take a tired or hungry child out in public, if you can help it. Bring healthy snacks along with you to curb meltdowns, and don’t blow through your child’s nap just because you have a long list of errands to complete. You won’t get them done very fast if your son is kicking and screaming on the floor at the bank.

2. Hunger and Tiredness are tantrum triggers. Watch for when your child has a tantrum, and try not to repeat the circumstances. Maybe your daughter can’t handle more than one errand, or your son just has a visceral reaction to the lights in your favorite grocery store

 

3. Keep them entertained. Bring a few new items for them to play with when you take children on long outings. It doesn’t have to be much -- some stickers, a new book, or a toy she simply hasn’t seen in awhile.

4. Focus on the good. Praise good behaviors, which encourages children to repeat them. Ignore provocative behavior and continue what you’re doing while you wait for your toddler to calm down.

5. Give one warning, then leave. It may be inconvenient, but it’s more courteous to others and it lets your child know you’re serious: tantrums will not be tolerated

6. Keep off-limits objects out of sight and out of reach to make struggles less likely to develop over them. Obviously, this isn't always possible, especially outside of the home where the environment can't be controlled.

7. Distract your child. Take advantage of your little one's short attention span by offering a replacement for the coveted object or beginning a new activity to replace the frustrating or forbidden one. Or simply change the environment. Take your toddler outside or inside or move to a different room

8. Consider the request carefully when your child wants something. Is it outrageous? Maybe it isn't. Choose your battles; accommodate when you can

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Temper tantrums range from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, and breath holding. They're equally common in boys and girls and usually occur between the ages of 1 to 3.

Kids' temperaments vary dramatically — so some kids may experience regular tantrums, whereas others have them rarely. They're a normal part of development and don't have to be seen as something negative. Unlike adults, kids don't have the same inhibitions or control.

Tantrums are common during the second year of life, a time when children are acquiring language. Toddlers generally understand more than they can express. Imagine not being able to communicate your needs to someone — a frustrating experience that may precipitate a tantrum. As language skills improve, tantrums tend to decrease

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Bottom Line:

Keep cool. Don't complicate the problem with your own frustration. Kids can sense when parents are becoming frustrated. This can just make their frustration worse.

Just remember, even though you are embarrased...

every other parent around you empathizes with you.

　

NOTE: I obviously got some of this from other sites,

but I picked through a bunch of sites and chose

the ones that best described how I felt.

　-Courtney-