Toddler temper tantrums are no joke, as every parent knows. Tantrums can be incredibly stressful when you can’t seem to find a way to calm your child down or figure out what is causing them to be so upset. If you’ve ever struggled to wrangle your toddler while they’re throwing a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store, we have some hacks for you.
Manage Your Emotions
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If your child is throwing a tantrum, their emotions are already all over the place. We don’t need to add yours to the mix! Kids look to see how their parents are reacting to things and a calm demeanor can help to soothe the situation rather than escalate it.
The way you respond will set the tone for how they react. A harsh reaction will only make them more upset. We know this is easier said than done, but try to manage your emotions in response to a toddler freak out.
Talk About Feelings
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Tantrums are often thrown out of confusion and frustration. Kids are still trying to find a way to manage their emotions and give meaning to them. Naming some of the things they might be feeling is a useful way to calm them down.
You might say, “It’s okay to feel mad” or “What would help you not feel so sad right now?”. This will help your child focus on what you’re saying and you can use it as a teaching moment for how they can balance the emotions they’re feeling.
Get to the Root of It
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Sometimes temper tantrums seem to come out of nowhere, but this is rarely the case. More often than not you can find a reason behind the emotions. Bad behavior is a way for kids to act out how they are feeling when they don’t know how to express themselves.
Think about what the cause might be. Are they hungry or tired? Did their sibling do something to upset them? Getting to the bottom of their tantrum is the fastest way to stop it and work on preventing them in the future.
Give Your Kids a Little Control
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While you can’t give your kids total control (they are kids after all), it is important that kids feel they can make choices. Offering them control over little things will help them feel more in control over their emotions and feelings as well.
You can ask them what they want for breakfast or if they’d rather go to the park or the pool. Giving them options gives them a sense of independence.
Be Consistent
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Temper tantrum situations are stressful, especially when they’re in public. Unfortunately, you’ll likely have to deal with them more than once. The real key to tantrums is consistency. Take the hacks we’ve listed here and use them each time your son or daughter throws one.
If you give in once to their demands, they’ll learn that they can continue to get what they want by throwing tantrums. No one wants to deal with that!. Remain calm and find the source of the emotions and you’ll manage the tantrums!
