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A temper tantrum is an emotional outburst by a child which can be whining, screaming, crying loudly. It can be quite sudden at times and the next minute it would be over. Generally toddlers throw more tantrums since they are not able to communicate their needs. But even preschoolers use it to express anger and frustration, hunger, or they might need attention or when they can’t get what they want.
Try staying cool
It might not be possible to always stay cool but as parents you should be careful not to lose temper or raise hand in such a situation. Try to talk to the child and ask him or her, the reason for his or her behaviour. Sometimes leaving the child alone till he or she calms down would be a better alternative. Once the child calms then ask what happened. Why is he or she shouting? Is he or she angry?
Distracting your child
Sometimes distracting a child would help like pointing out to something or using a toy would stop the tantrum. Playing a song and making the child dance with you might help.
It’s normal to throw a tantrum
You might at times want to tear your hair out but you need to accept that it is normal for a child to throw tantrums. It is part of growing up. The child is learning to be independent; he wants to have his own way, wants to make choices. But he doesn’t have a maturity like an adult to think what is right, and why at times he can’t have his own way.
How to handle a tantrum
Firstly, you need to hold your child until he calms down. Time out is a commonly used discipline method, one minute for each year of the child’s age. So a 2-year old would get a two minute time out. Choose a spot for the time out. At times, the child will refuse to stand in that spot, therefore you might have to stay with him or her. The child might feel very much out of control so you need to stay calm.
It is definitely embarrassing to have a child throwing a tantrum while you’re shopping at a mall or taking a stroll on a busy promenade. Just take him to a quiet spot. Let him calm down, speak to him. Give him a hug. And then get back to walking or shopping. You need to be really calm with your child.
Sometimes paying too much attention to the child should be avoided. Some children might associate throwing a tantrum with parental attention. And the child will never get motivated to overcome it. Sometimes, it is best to leave the child on its own. Once he is in control, ask him how does he feel now? Don’t make the child feel guilty about it all the time. Don’t tell him your bad boy. Instead forget about it and suggest some activity and move on.
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