Learning how to deal with your child’s temper is perhaps one of the greatest initiations into parenthood. But as parents we all know that stopping toddler tantrums is no mean feat.
From whining to crying, from throwing things to biting, there is a lot that entails a toddler temper tantrum. Plus, there are only a handful of ways to actually pacify your child when they are in the midst of throwing their tantrum.
The good news is that one mum has cracked the code to stopping toddler tantrums and her trick is being hailed as a ‘magical hack.’
So much so that her video has now gone viral on TikTok, and yes, her hack works like a charm on her two-year-old son.
Stopping Toddler Tantrums: How This Mum Pacified Her 2-Year-Old
Image courtesy: TikTok/bareyoursoul
Kayla, mum-of-two, shared her toddler training methods on TikTok and earned praises for her great parenting skills. “Big feelings in a little body can be hard for everyone…” she writes in the on-screen caption.
Her hack is simple: she gets her son to sit down and take a few deep breaths to help him calm down. She then encourages him to take another deep breath and asks him to “shake it off” and use his “listening ears.”
She follows this up by asking him what’s wrong and repeats his request.
“Tantrums are tough… and I wanted a way to help him through them so we could find solutions together,” she shared in her post.
When the boy turned two, Kayla started applying this technique and it has clearly worked wonders.
“We get really excited together when we are able to figure out what the problem was and fix it!” the caption said.
She adds that after she’s asked him to share his desire, she again gets him to take one final deep breath and once he’s calmed down and can verbalise what he wants, she gives in.
Stopping Toddler Tantrums: Her Technique Earns Praises
Kayla was praised on TikTok for being such a great mum. One user said, “I would definitely try it on my son who will be turning five yrs old next week. He has severe tantrums.”
Another user chimed in, “Oh my goodness he is so smart and you are such a good mommy.”
There were some users who stated that they also use this technique to stop toddler tantrums and it works like a charm. We are glad that this technique worked for her kid and for several others.
As parents, if you are being hassled by your child’s temper, we understand your situation. Which is why we’d like to share expert-recommended tricks to tame toddler tantrums.
But first, it is important to understand why do kids throw a fit.
Why Do Kids Throw Tantrums?
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Tantrums are a method for your child to show his/her anger or frustration. These are equally common in boys and girls and usually happen between the ages of 1 and 3 years.
Now, there are multiple reasons for a child throwing a tantrum.
- Your child is tired, hungry or uncomfortable. Learning to deal with their frustration will come with time, but during this period, a tantrum is the only way for them to get the attention they need.
- In most kids, tantrums mostly start when language skills are starting to develop. Because toddlers can’t yet verbalise their emotions, the frustrating experience may cause a tantrum. As language skills improve, then tantrums tend to decrease.
- Toddlers want independence and control over their environment. This is usually more than what they can handle. This can lead to power struggles as a child thinks “I can do it myself” or “I want it, give it to me.” But when kids discover that they can’t do it, they may have a tantrum.
It is therefore, important to deal with your child patiently. But how do you do it? We share 5 easy and practical ways.
Stopping Toddler Tantrums: 5 Helpful Hacks For All New Parents
Image courtesy: iStock
1. Divert their attention from the tantrum
When you notice your child throwing a tantrum, distract them with an object or a change of subject. The idea is to divert their attention. Let them engage themselves in this new found activity, while you slowly drift your attention away from them.
2. Avoid saying “No”
This doesn’t mean that you give in to your child’s demands. Instead, rephrase your responses into positive statements. For instance, if your child asks “Can I watch TV?” instead of saying ‘No’ try saying, “Let’s have some family time together and then we’ll plan something interesting.”
In this case, you are still saying no. But your response is drafted in a manner that not only seems positive but distracts your child’s attention.
3. Reward good behaviour
Make sure to always reward your child’s good behaviour. The idea here is not to pamper them or bribe them but to give them your undivided attention.
As you know, children crave for their parents’ attention and your acknowledgement can boost their self-esteem.
4. Teach them new skills
It is very important to teach your kids new skills. Start with something simple before moving on to the more challenging tasks.
Try to give your kids some control over the little things. For instance, allowing them to make minor choices such as choosing a breakfast menu among other things.
5. Make sure they get proper sleep
Image Source: iStock
Your child is going to much more likely to throw a fit if they aren’t sleeping well at night and if they aren’t napping well during the day. So make sure that your child is getting proper sleep time.
Tantrums need to be dealt with differently depending on why your child is upset. Sometimes, you may need to provide comfort. And others times, it may best to ignore or distract your child with a new activity. So while you are at it, remain cool and help calm your child down too.
Source: KidsHealth
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