subject: Stopping a Tantrum Before It Starts [print this page] Stopping a Tantrum Before It Starts Stopping a Tantrum Before It Starts
We all know how difficult it is to deal with toddlers, especially when they go through the terrible twos. Kids this age don't have well-developed language skills, which means you can't understand what they're trying to say and they can't understand you. Often, this leads to frustration for both parent and child. The only difference is that we have the ability to control our emotions and our kids don't. We do lots of things to keep ourselves calm at provoking situations. We have the ability to handle stress and maintain our cool even at disturbing times, but we should realize that kids are in the learning stage and they may take time in inculcating all those habits that are expected from a smart individual at different times. When we say adults can control emotions, by this we mean that we take a deep breath and keep our mouth shut when our kids scream, cry, kick, bite, throw things and even when they bang their heads on the wall.It is difficult dealing with temper tantrums once they start, so what we need to do is to stop them even before it starts. This will help children develop a balanced mind set and equally well behaved etiquettes. As it is always better to be safe than sorry, it thus becomes our (parents') responsibility to realize the seriousness of this matter and take some immediate steps. Our kids may throw a fit every once in a while, following the tips below will reduce the frequency of such traumatic tantrums.Kids can't control themselves, but this doesn't mean we can't teach them ways to divert their anger. There are other ways to express anger or disappointment, and that's something we need to teach our child. Instead of crying and screaming, they can opt to cross their arms and pout instead. It may not look nice, but it is sure better compared to a tantrum. Always listen to your child. Toddlers can't really say what they want to say yet, and this often leads to frustration which in turn causes tantrums. As a parent, we need to be sensitive to their needs. We need to study what they usually do when they need something, such as when they point to the fridge when they're thirsty. Studies show that kids whose needs are met right away are less likely to throw tantrums. Be honest with your child. When you're honest, you get your child's trust. Even little things such as saying that "Barney has already gone to sleep" just because you want to watch your favorite show on TV is a no-no. By doing this, your child won't believe you when you say you'll be leaving the playground if he doesn't stop crying about that other child's toy.
