| Tuesday, April 8, 2008 |
| How to Handle Your Child’s Temper Tantrums |
How many times have you been shopping in a grocery aisle and you have winessed an out of control child having a temper tantrum, not limited to yelling, throwing objects or crying. It is more than likely you thought to yourself, "If that was my child, I would ______". Fast forward three years, now here you are with your own child or perhaps children and are faced with these same situations as you may have once witnessed.
Unfortunately, temper tantrums are a normal part of life amongst children of an early age from preschoolers to toddlers. Almost all children will have a tantrum occasionally. The good news is that if handled appropriately most children will outgrow this stage within a couple of years.
As a parent you are ultimately the one who is responsible for your child’s behavior. Here are some tips on handling and preventing tantrums in your child.
Before planning a shopping outing you will want to make sure that your child is not over-tired. If your child is cranky you may suggest a nap for some quiet time, read a book or play soothing music. How you talk to your child can also have an impact on her tantrums. For example asking her to do something instead of a direct order can sometimes have a reverse effect on the outcome of the situation. For example, when asking your daughter to do something, you will want to try to ask her nicely first. Suggest this “Hannah, Mommy needs some help picking up your clothes” will usually have a different effect then “I asked you before to get in here and pick up your mess!” Stay consistent in your rules, if she acts out and you give in then this gives her leeway for her to do the same routine again, by being more consistent and less lenient your child will learn that tantrums just do not work. While sometimes hard, do not give in to bribery.
Think to yourself, does she really deserve a candy bar for going to bed on time or for picking up her clothes? Bribery is only encouraging negative behavior in the long run. If your child is beyond consolable often sending him to his room for some quiet time is the best solution. By yelling at your child to be quiet will only make him upset more. Many times a child will have a tantrum to get your attention. If you haven’t given her much ‘mommy or daddy time’ she may be trying to tell you something by acting out in a tantrum. Once she has settled down, spend some time with her, read a book together, go for a walk in the park. If your child is beyond consolable and you are in a public place head for the nearest restroom and try to calm her down or take her to the nearest food court and get a cup of water to soothe her. Talk calmly to her, often raising your voice and yelling will only result in a negative reaction and will tend to prolong the tantrum.
Article SourceLabels: Parenting
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posted by Khate @ 11:17 PM   |
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