4 Replies
Tantrums are normal when it comes to toddlers. This is the only way that they can express their frustration. According to an article that I've read "Toddlers are beginning to understand a lot more of the words they hear, yet their ability to produce language is so limited." When your child can't express how she feels or what she wants, frustration mounts. And that's why they throw a fit. Therefore, staying calm and learning to identify what is really bothering your child will help you to handle the situation quickly and effectively. A few tips I've read and followed are: 1. Remain calm. he worst thing parents can do is have a temper tantrum over their child's temper tantrum. Children need a calming influence, especially during a tantrum, and if you can’t provide that, you can’t expect them to calm down. Take a few deep breaths and wait at least a few seconds before deciding on a response. 2. Make sure the child has what he or she needs. Remember that your child's tantrum is not necessarily a way to "get his/her way", but could be the result of frustration, lack of needed attention from you, or even a physical problem, like low blood sugar, pain or digestive problems. Maybe your child is teething, has a dirty diaper, or needs a nap. In cases like these, don’t try to negotiate with the child, but simply provide what is needed and the tantrum will subside. 3.Offer your child a choice of coping strategies. For example, your son/daughter wants ice cream, but it's too close to dinner. Say: "Johnny/Alexis, you're really getting upset now. Calm down or you'll have to go to your room." You have given him/her a choice: either control himself or, if he can't, retreat to a place where he/she won't influence others. If he/she makes the right choice (to calm down), remember to compliment him/her: "You asked for ice cream and I said no. I want to thank you for taking no for an answer." 4.Help your child feel loved no matter what. Sometimes kids throw tantrums because they just want some extra love and attention. Withholding love is never a good policy when it comes to disciplining a child. No matter what, your child should know that you love him or her no matter what. Hope this helps! :)
Actually this is the stage where a toddler want to have automony in what he/she doing and unable to communicate their wants and needs to adults and thus throwing tantrums. First I feel you need to eliminate the description and label on him: Terrible Twos. If you have impression on what he does all related to terrible twos, you will feel frustrated. What you can do include: 1. Acknowledge his feelings. E.g. my son refused to come out from bathtub. I will tell him it is time to come out and I will remove you from bathroom in 5 mins time. If he cry when I do so, i will tell him I know you like to play water very much but it is time to get out and you can continue to play tomorrow. Normally my son will continue to cry and calm down himself eventually. He is 2.5 years old. 2. Give him choices. E.g. when my son refused to wear clothes, I will give him 2 choices of clothes and ask him to choose. Normally this works for my children. 3. Mummy has to rest well and enough sleep. I find that if I lack of sleep on a particular day I will be more cranky than my children and lost patience on kids.
I've read somewhere that toddlers express their frustration by throwing tantrums. As parents, we just have to understand that this is part of them growing up. They feel all these emotions at once and they do not know how to cope so they throw a fit. If I remember correctly, according to the article I read, it is best if we extend our patience because even they themselves don't know how to handle the situtation that's why they throw temper tantrums. Nothing will be resolved if we get mad or shout at them as this will only add up to the confusion. Personally, I suggest that you give them a minute to get it out and then hug them. assure them that it's okay and talk to them, ask them what's wrong. Do the funnel method until you get to the root cause of the issue and talk to them about it :) Hope this helps!
Hi Mommy! What I personally do with my 3 year old daughter when she's beginning to throw a tantrum is try to pacify her by diverting her attention by offering her her favorite toy or her favorite food. I talk and console her and tell her she can say what she wants to mommy and mommy will listen. If this doesn't work and she keeps on crying, I tell my daughter that mommy will give her time to calm down and will talk to her again if she's ready. Then I let her cry it out. Of course I make sure she doesn't hurt herself when she does this. So far it works for me