Tantrums are a part of any child’s life. When a child doesn’t have a better way of expressing anger, disappointment, sadness, and frustration, they tend to vent through tantrums and violent displays and reactions. Unfortunately, inasmuch as we parents have more or less background on what goes on in our children’s minds when they have tantrums, they can still be pretty troubling. This is especially if we’ve gotten used to giving them what they want just so they can stop their tantrums. How can we deal with this properly?
Thankfully, we’ve compiled some tips you can use to help your children cope with their tantrums. Here are some of the most interesting and helpful solutions we’ve managed to find:
Carefully explain why their tantrums may cause them harm in the long run.
Kids are sometimes smarter than we think they are, and they really can sometimes grasp more complicated concepts in their own way. Try to explain your situation to them, and nicely elaborate as to how their tantrums may harm their mental health and their relationships with others.
Try elaborating how bursting into tantrums to vent out frustrations and getting what they want may harm them in the future. Explain to your children that patience can be worth the while, and working hard for goals can always be more successful. Likewise, rushing things may also result in bad things happening.
As much as possible, don’t use a strict or angry tone when explaining this to them. Try to put yourself to their level and try explaining the concept in a way similar to how a friend may do it with them.
Granted, this might create a negative response to your children. However, it helps to at least ensure you’ve elaborated on the subject so you know the idea of how tantrums may harm them are planted in their head.
Lead by example, not just words.
Granted, it may be a need for you to talk to your children about their tantrums. However, it also helps to make sure you show them an example of how to vent their frustrations properly. It’s when you lead by example, and when your kids see the good out of these examples, that you may be able to convince them to follow your lead.
You may even just sit back and rely on cartoons and children’s shows to help elaborate on concepts that may otherwise be tricky to understand. In the case of tantrums, kids’ shows may demonstrate situations how tantrums may not solve situations.
You may also take a bit of time to explain to kids why these situations happened in shows or when they encounter these in real life.
In real-life situations, remember that kids follow your examples. As such, it’s important to maintain calmness, respect, and kindness whenever you interact with them regardless of the behavior they show. You should, however, still be stern and remind them of things they have to remember.
Introduce them to other forms of expressing themselves.
Oftentimes, children may find it difficult to express themselves because of the lack of avenues to do so. They may feel restricted to share their feelings because they may not have enough exposure to other means of expressing themselves. And you may help remedy potential outbursts by orienting your child early on to other methods of expression and venting out their frustrations. This can be in the form of artistry, sports, or even video games
Try to explore a multitude of these modes of expression with your kids. You can ask them if they want to try playing multiplayer games, car games or toy cars, try drawing or painting, or even trying out sports. When they express their desire to try something new, try to encourage them as this can help boost their confidence in the craft.
Having something else to do allows your child to switch their focus into expressing their frustrations and negative emotions via outbursts, and instead focus their energy on reflecting and doing their chosen craft.
When you introduce these modes of expression to your children, don’t introduce them as a deterrent for their tantrums. Rather, introduce these to them as to what they really are: methods of expression.
Seek professional help when you feel like this is affecting your child’s overall wellness.
Always remember that just because you’re thinking of seeking professional help doesn’t mean your child is “weak” in any way. There really are situations where it’s difficult to understand where you or your child is coming from, and as such may need guidance. If you feel lost or unsure of what to do with your child, it may help to undergo counseling in order to understand your child’s point of view much better.
If you’ve decided to have your child go under counseling, it helps to explain to them why you’re doing this. Always remind them that just because they’re going to talk to someone else doesn’t mean they’re “weak,” but rather you’re helping in making them much stronger.
You should also say the same thing to yourself. Just because you’re thinking of undergoing therapy doesn’t necessarily make you a weak parent. Rather, you’re also in the process of learning how to be a better caretaker for your child. This is especially since tantrums may be related to issues such as sleep, and other concerns that may not be as obvious.
When you consult a professional on anything about your child’s welfare, make sure their clinic is fully accredited. Also, make sure your psychologist is officially licensed. It doesn’t hurt to be careful when looking for a professional to trust.
Tantrums: Manage Your Child With Care, Support, Learning
Tantrums can be a normal occurrence for children and toddlers that are still growing up. However, you don’t necessarily have to take everything in without any reactions. Tantrums are tantrums, and they can be extremely stressful. If you have or have had a child with the same situation, you’ll surely be aware of how tantrums can affect not just you but your child’s growth at large.
Thankfully, the tips above would’ve likely given you useful methods you can use not just to help your child, but to help them ease up in an environment where they can share their thoughts without crying, and how this can affect us as parents overall.
Do you have tips for screaming toddlers? Share them in the comments!
John Salazar is a certified techie-at-heart, but he shares a love for all things science and technology, health and wellness, and even a bit of music on the side. As a creative writer, John makes sure to write both informative and entertaining pieces. He loves writing, and he plays the guitar when he has free time.
The post Parenting 101: How Do You Deal With Tantrums? appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site – Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.
