Having a Tantrum Toddler? Follow This Mother's Smart Tips on How You Can Handle Them

Are you a parent who has a child aged 2-3 years old? For parents who have young children, they may have experienced a situation where their children are throwing a tantrum. But is it normal? Tantrum is very common in young children or toddler. This is usually seen in children once they reach 18 months old to around age 2-3 years. However, it is also not uncommon to see a child aged 4 or 6 years who is still having a tantrum. But the frequency may differ from one child to another. When a child has a tantrum, it may be accompanied by the screaming, shouting and crying or stiffening of the limbs. Tantrum is an expression of emotions and feelings. Tantrum is a way of young children expressing their upset and frustrated feelings. This is too, part of a child’s development. At the age of 18 months to 3 years old, emotional and social skills are still at an early stage of development. So it is hard for them to express what they feel and what they want. Rejection and disappointment can be too overwhelming for them that they had to express it via tantrum. Toddlers learn by observing how adults behave around them. They might have learned that by throwing a tantrum, they could get what they want. Even the calmest parent finds the tantrum can be distressing. We may have always given in to whatever our children wanted, but it should not be that way. Smart Tips for Smart Parents on How to Prevent Tantrum in Children Happy kids, happy parents. As a parent, we must be ready with anything possible before our children can make a scene. Here are a few tips that we can do to prevent children from throwing a tantrum: Establish a routine Young children adapt well with routine. It is very important to establish a daily routine so that your children know what to expect. Set when is their mealtime, playtime and nap time. And this will make your life a lot easier too. Plan ahead When you have established a routine for your children, it would be easier to plan your agenda. A hungry, thirsty or tired child could lead to a tantrum. So, when you want to run errands, you can plan ahead a timing that fits your child’s routine, be prepared with your weapons (such as snacks and toys) and make sure that you are aware of your child’s behaviour change to avoid the “unwanted drama”. Involve them in choices Children love to get involved in decisions. Instead of saying “no” to everything, ask them to choose. For example, “Would you like to wear a blue or yellow shirt today?” or “Which one you like to bring for our outing, a shark toy or a robot? Don’t forget to praise Who doesn’t love acknowledgement? Same goes to small children. Give them attention to their good behaviour. When they behave well or succeed in doing things, be generous with the praises. Example, “Wow, you are such a smart kid”, or “Thank you” or a little hug would make their day. And if tantrum still happens, here’s how to respond to the “drama”: Encourage them to express their feelings Always encourage your child to tell you what they are feeling. Teach them to use words or signs to express if they are tired, want something or hungry. Let them know that it is hard to understand what they want if they continue crying. Offer them snacks Snacks like cookies could be very handy in time when a child is about to go grumpy. They might be hungry or tired. Simply offer them a snack. Believe me that this would save your life! Stay calm A child’s tantrum could happen anywhere, be it at home or at a shopping mall. For some parents, tantrums at the mall may be embarrassing and they may lose their calm. When you are calm and ignore their behaviour, they will learn that throwing a tantrum will not solve their problems. Hence, throwing a tantrum won’t be their first choice anymore. Distract their attention For example, your child is upset because he cannot get the candy that he saw at the cashier counter, so he is making a “scene”. Distract him with other things, such as ask him to help you count the items on the counter or distract them with a different view, such as “Look, the Dino is so big!” and play along with your facial expression. Most importantly, do not give up and give in... Coping with a tantrum child can be very draining. Children are good students. They are easy to absorb the lesson we teach them. If we give up on their tantrums and provide them with whatever they ask they will think that it is the right way to do. So, take a deep breath, think wisely and be smarter than they are. You can do this!

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