Prevent Child Meltdown During the Holiday Season

Holiday season is here again! Well, with the melting pot of cultural variety that Malaysia has, there is seemingly a holiday nearly every month. For instance, this month it is Chinese New Year. And soon, it will be Raya in April. As most of us can attest to, holidays are usually time for gatherings and celebrations. These times are also possibly when your children are expected to be on good behaviour. However, as time passes, your child's fortitude may start to chip, too. They may begin to feel restless, slouch, and start pulling on your sleeve to persuade you to go home... the list goes on. Ignoring them past this point will inevitably trigger the final act of desperation: a tantrum. What Causes a Child Meltdown Child meltdowns or tantrums are common amongst children aged between one to three years-old. At this stage, they are still in the beginning stages of developing their social, emotional, and language skills. Toddlers above that age range can experience meltdowns as well. So, how do you curb a child meltdown and minimise the attention that your child’s meltdown will attract? Let’s find out together, shall we? Keep reading. Child Meltdown Prevention Methods According to Dr. Rebecca Jackson’s book, there are some ways you can prevent your child from having a meltdown. Look for Cues One way you can prevent a child meltdown is by paying attention to your child’s facial and body language. You can observe facial changes to your child pre-meltdown; for instance flushed cheeks, frowning or agitated expression. You can also see if they start shutting down and ignoring you, or become louder to attract your attention. This is different for each child, of course; you will know better as their parent. Know When it is Too Much Look out for what your child’s sensory threshold is. Everyone has different levels for how much they can handle before things become too much to handle. By identifying your child’s sensory threshold, you can prepare for future situations where a child meltdown may be on the horizon. This does not necessarily help you immediately prevent a child meltdown from occurring. However, it does help you to learn to identify your child’s sensitivity levels, which in turn makes you more ready for the future. Minimise the Chaos So, your child has started the meltdown. What you need to immediately do in this situation is to immediately get your child away from the crowd and bright lights. Find a quieter spot and dim down the lights if you can. Try to give them some plain water to drink to calm them down. You can also try putting a washcloth over their forehead to lower their internal temperature, as extended crying can cause a rise in temperature in children. Simple Words to Calm Minds If your child is bawling, your objective is to calm them down. Instead of fighting the volume of their voice, try to lower your voice instead. Make sure to use simple, shorter words as well when calming them down. During a child meltdown, your toddler is unlikely to listen to your words of reason. So, if they see their parent trying to control and reprimand them for expressing discomfort or fatigue, it may only worsen their reaction. Instead, if they hear the calm, low voice of their parent reassuring them, they may be much more inclined to calm down and listen. Do Some Legwork Sometimes, a child meltdown is triggered because they have too much pent-up energy, with no outlet to release that energy. So, if you see signs of a meltdown coming, or a meltdown has started, take your child outside. Then, let your child run around, or go on a short walk with them. By doing this, you let them let out the excess energy they have, which can help reset their emotional gauge. What to Avoid There are some methods that you should avoid using to handle your child’s temper tantrum, too. The most important factor is to avoid using methods that can inhibit negative connotations between holidays and their feelings. Some examples you can refer to as unsuitable methods are: Scolding or screaming at child Emotional manipulation (i.e.: telling your child you are sad because of their behaviour) Using humiliation tactics (i.e.: comparing your kid to their cousin, revealing private issues at home to others as consequence) These tactics can only worsen the situation as they focus more on using your child’s fear towards your authority as a parent. This can have grave consequences on your relationship with your child as they grow up. Furthermore, this kind of tactic can lead to your child having no trust and a less positive relationship with you. Instead, parents should try and acknowledge their child’s stress levels to help them cope properly. If you find yourself on the verge of screaming at your kid, give this five-minute rule a try. You can also find out some strategies you can adapt to this situation here. Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner. For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!

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