Kid loves to throw tantrums?
It is not unusual for your one to three year old to have temper tantrums. Don’t worry, this is not an indicator that they’ll have rage issues in the future that need remedial anger management classes.
It’s not too complex, your toddler just wants to test the limits of your patience. It could be that they are frustrated because they are not able to express themselves in words or emotions.
We have just the tools to help you handle these tantrums…
Tricks to throw tantrums out the door
1) Teach your kid how to express their feelings using, well, the ever-useful communication tool—words. Calmly utter: “I don’t understand what you want when you are crying and yelling like this. Take a deep breath (or a few) and tell me slowly.”
2) Start to involve your child in making decisions whenever possible. Even if it is not about what to do, then make it about how to do it. For example, she has to take a bath—no ifs and buts – but she gets to choose the toys she wants or whether she wants a shower or a bubble bath.
3) Always reserve ample time to warn your child before switching activities. This is because kids do not understand the concept of time. So saying: “We’re leaving in 10 minutes” means absolutely nothing to your kid. Instead, you can say: “We’ll be leaving after this B-I-N-G-O song finishes playing.”
4) VERY IMPORTANT: Never, never, ever give in to a temper tantrum. Not even once! Resisting the tantrum will teach your kid that the act will yield no results, so suck it up.
5) Play on the art of distraction; make use of that trick. You put on a silly face, pretend to fall over, clown around, do a funny dance. Do something out of the ordinary to divert your kid’s attention from his or her misery.
Go to page two for five more hacks on how to get your kids to stop throwing tantrums
6) If you have some props with you (you should always be prepared with some toys while you are out), then whip out a puppet or a doll and talk as though the voice is coming from the puppet or toy. Did you know that some kids find it easier and more comforting to talk and respond to a “peer” (in this case a puppet or a toy) rather than a parent? Well, it is true.
7) Other times, it is a good idea to switch up the scene. How? It’s as easy as taking your kid into the restroom, or for a walk outside, or even back to your car—it can calm your child down.
8) You can also get your kid to take several slow deep breaths for the relaxing effect. Just think yoga…Ahhhhh…If your kid has really lost control, maybe he or she can breathe into a paper bag. But make sure that the paper bag is used when you are supervising, or else the paper bag could be hazardous.
9) If your child is not misbehaving (like kicking, punching, stomping, hitting, throwing things or screaming relentlessly) the perhaps you can try ignoring him or her.
10) Remember, do not punish your child for a temper tantrum. Rather, teach them the right way to express themselves.
Good luck with these tips—or else, invest in a good pair of earplugs.