What are tantrums?Tantrums come in all shapes and sizes. Show
They can involve spectacular explosions of anger, frustration and disorganised behaviour – when your child ‘loses it’. You might see screaming, stiffening limbs, an arched back, kicking, falling down, flailing about or running away. In some cases, children hold their breath, vomit, break things or hurt themselves or other people as part of a tantrum. Tantrums are common in children aged 1-3 years. This is because young children are still at an early stage of social, emotional and language development. They can’t always communicate their needs and feelings, including the desire to do things for themselves, so they might get frustrated. And they’re learning that how they behave influences others. So tantrums are one of the ways that young children express and manage feelings, and try to understand or change what’s going on around them. Older children can have tantrums too. This can be because they haven’t yet learned safe ways to express or manage feelings. For both toddlers and older children, there are things that can make tantrums more likely to happen:
Self-regulation is the ability to understand and manage feelings and reactions. Children start developing it from around 12 months. As your child gets older, they’ll be more able to regulate reactions and calm down when something upsetting happens. You’ll see fewer tantrums as a result. How to make tantrums less likelyThese are a few things you can do to make tantrums less likely to happen:
Some young children who are still learning to speak have tantrums because they’re frustrated. Teaching your child some key word signs for words like ‘angry’ or ‘hungry’ can help until they learn the words to say instead. How to handle tantrums when they happenSometimes tantrums happen, no matter what you do to avoid them. When a tantrum happens, the way to respond depends on your child’s age:
And these tips might help tantrums pass with less distress for everyone:
Tantrums in preschoolers and early school-age childrenAt this age, children are also better able to understand that their actions have effects. For example, after your child has calmed down from their tantrum, you could explain that a natural consequence of having a tantrum is that other children might not want to play with them. If your child has additional needs like autism, they might have frequent or severe tantrums. See our article on challenging behaviour in autistic children or ask for advice from the professionals who work with your child. Coping with tantrums: managing your own feelingsIf you can stay calm when your child is having a tantrum, it gives your child a model of calm behaviour. Here are ideas for staying calm and keeping things in perspective during tantrums:
Be kind to yourself when things don’t go to plan and a tantrum happens. Raising children is a big and important job, which all parents learn as they go. You’re doing your best, and you can’t control everything. Languages other than EnglishArabic (PDF: 161kb) Dari (PDF: 176kb) Karen (PDF: 83kb) Persian (PDF: 155kb) Simplified Chinese (PDF: 171kb) Vietnamese (PDF: 156kb) What advice should the nurse provide the parents of a toddler regarding how do you handle temper tantrums?During a temper tantrum, the advice is for the parent to ignore the behavior but ensure the toddler is safe. Rewarding temper tantrums can teach the toddler that tantrums are an effective method of interaction.
How do you handle toddler tantrums?Here are some ideas that may help:. Give plenty of positive attention. ... . Try to give toddlers some control over little things. ... . Keep off-limits objects out of sight and out of reach. ... . Distract your child. ... . Help kids learn new skills and succeed. ... . Consider the request carefully when your child wants something.. Which is the best way for parents to aid a toddler in achieving the developmental task quizlet?The best way for parents to aid a toddler in achieving his developmental task would be to: allow him to make simple decisions.
Should you give in to toddler tantrums?Don't give in to stop a tantrum
It can be tempting to just give in and let your toddler have their way, especially if all you want is peace and quiet. Don't cave in. “You don't want to give in just to make the tantrum stop,” says Dr. Pomeranets.
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