Tantrums: Why They Happen And How To Deal With Them

Posted on Oct 9 2018 - 3:32pm by Editorial Staff

If you are a parent, you have probably been here before. Everything is going swimmingly and the next thing you know your sweet little angel is having a meltdown. Tantrums can be one of the most difficult aspects of parenting a toddler and sometimes they may cause you to have some anxiety of your own.  However, there are a few strategies which you can use to deal with this stage of parenting without losing your mind. If you are looking for an excellent selection of natural supplements to reduce your anxiety during this time, Authority Reports has more about this and other parenting health issues.

What Are Tantrums?

The simple answer is that children have temper tantrums because the part of their brains that are responsible for logical thinking has not been developed yet. Your child’s brain will only be fully developed once they reach adulthood. The last part of your child’s brain to develop is the called the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe of the brain is responsible for abstract thinking. Abstract thinking is responsible for the majority of our problem-solving skills and our ability to think about our actions. This explains why children are so impulsive and highly emotional. When your child is having a temper tantrum it is a sign that they are experiencing big emotions and their brains do not have the capacity to process these emotions appropriately.

How To Stop A Tantrum

When your child is in the middle of a big meltdown it can seem like you will never get them to snap out of their highly emotional state. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can add to your arsenal to ensure that both you and your toddler are as calm and happy as can be.

Remove Them From The Situation

One of the easiest things you can do to handle a temper tantrum is to remove your child from the situation that is causing the meltdown. If you are in the grocery store when your toddler starts to throw a tantrum, stay calm, pick up your child and go to your car or a restroom. Once you have taken yourself and your child out of the environment that they were melting down in it will help you both feel calmer and will give you the opportunity to talk to your toddler about what has happened.

Acknowledge Their Emotions

Tantrums are usually associated with big emotions that your little child is experiencing. You will be surprised at how easily you can diffuse the situation if you acknowledge your child’s emotions. Often, they do not yet have the vocabulary to put the way they are feeling into words. As the parent you have the ability to help your child make sense of their emotions.

Stay Calm

Your child is very sensitive towards your emotions. Being stressed out and hysterical while your child is in the middle of a tantrum will only make the situation worse. When your child is having a meltdown remember to keep your voice at a low level, remember to stay calm and take deep breath. Additionally, you may find it helpful to kneel down so that you are at eye level with your child. This is known as active listening and will help you to connect with your child without you seeming intimidating.

Distract Them

Most of the time you will be able to tell if your child is headed into dangerous waters and is on the verge of a major meltdown. When you notice your child becoming distressed one of the best things you can do is to find something for them to do that is totally unrelated to the issue they are getting upset about.

Give Them A Safe Space To Express Themselves

Sometimes no matter how hard you try you will not be able to stop a tantrum in its tracks. In these situations, you have the responsibility to give your child a safe space to get all their emotions out. Just make sure that your child is not in a position where they cannot harm themselves or others. When your child is having an unstoppable tantrum, you should sit next to them quietly until they have calmed down. Once they have stopped crying you can speak to them about their emotions.

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Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.