It’s easy to feel like toddlers are out-of-control little people who want to frustrate you. Nonetheless, they are just struggling with their emotions. It’s up to you as a parent to make sure that your toddler feels loved and listened to enough to prevent having toddler temper tantrums.
You can go through a day of parenting and be on top of your game one minute and a complete disaster the next. It is to be expected, as no parent wants his or her child to have tantrums. That said, you will encounter a few moments every day when your toddler does have a temper that will leave you completely in awe.
What are Temper Tantrums?
Toddler temper tantrums are a typical phase that children go through when they’re very young. They’re caused by several different things: frustration, tiredness, hunger, being overstimulated, or any other number of items.
This phase is supposed to be fun and make your child learn to express their emotions in the only way they know how at this stage: crying, screaming, flailing, and trying to throw themselves on the ground.
The stages you want to watch out for are:
- The phase that they are in when they start saying things like “I don’t want to go to bed.” It can be a phase that lasts 2-3 weeks on average.
- When they’ll start making up stories about why they’re not going to bed. For example, they could say, “because this blanket is so soft,” or “because I’m so hot. I’m going to throw a tantrum now.”
- When they start throwing themselves on the floor, shouting their lungs out, and crying. It is when they are about 15 months old, and if it happens early on, it’s probably just a phase and shouldn’t be as much of a cause for concern. However, if it occurs later on, you could be facing an underlying condition that you need to check into with your pediatrician.
- When they start to become demanding and frustrated and are almost immediately upset when things don’t go their way. It can be a phase that lasts up into the toddler years. It can also be very difficult to deal with. However, it’s good to make sure your child knows what their boundaries are to learn how to be a cooperative member of society when they grow up.
- When the tantrum escalates into something dangerous or harmful to your child. It is a phase that you would want to intervene quickly to protect your child. This is when you should let them know that what they’re doing isn’t acceptable.
What Causes Temper Tantrums?
There are many different reasons for toddler temper tantrums, and each one is pretty much the same, except for one: age.
At around 6-7 months old, a younger child is going to be in a stage where they’re just learning about the world and their emotions and how to express them. A toddler will be in a temper tantrum phase because they want something (or don’t want something). This is because they can’t speak to you what it is they want, so they throw a tantrum instead.
A preschooler will be in a temper tantrum phase because they just finished doing something fascinating. They will want to continue doing it and can’t understand why you won’t let them. A kindergartner will be in a temper tantrum phase because they’re just learning what they like to do and don’t enjoy.
As you can see, younger children don’t have tantrums because they’re tired or hungry or anything else; they have temper tantrums because it’s a phase that they’re going through, and the reason behind it is up to them.
Here are eight simple tips for dealing with toddlers having tantrums that will work in most cases.
8 Easy Tips for How to Deal with Toddlers Having Tantrums
Accept that this is normal – There’s nothing you can do about it. These are just the feelings of a toddler who doesn’t understand that they shouldn’t be having a tantrum. Your child is not spiteful or fussy, and she’s not purposely trying to hurt you or your family. She’s going through a phase that is normal but difficult and frustrating.
Don’t take it personally – Your toddler doesn’t have tantrums because she hates you or because you’re a terrible parent. She has these tantrums because she’s not mature enough to control her emotions and communicate with you effectively. It is your child’s way of telling you that something isn’t right and that she needs something in her life to change. You should not take tantrums personally.
Stay calm – If you let your emotions out, you’ll only make the situation worse. Your toddler is frustrated, and she’s showing it because she’s a kid who takes things personally. Don’t assume that personally, nor should you get upset about the tantrum or feel angry. It would be best if you remained neutral to give your child a sense of security.
Keep your voice low – You don’t want to make the toddler feel bad for having a tantrum. It is why you should always stay calm when she has one. It also means that you shouldn’t raise your voice at all, even if she makes it hard not to.
Be sure that you’re listening – No matter what the toddler says, be sure that you’re fully listening to know that her feelings matter. Let them feel that you take them seriously. Doing this opens up the bond between you and your child.
Don’t make it worse – There’s no need to respond negatively to a tantrum that your toddler has not caused. You don’t want her to get the idea that tantrums are okay to have, and they’re a sign of anger or frustration. Instead, you want your child to know that she can come forward with any feelings she has. She should be able to talk about them without fear of punishment.
Help your child with the cause of the tantrum – As soon as you can, you should be able to figure out why your toddler is throwing a tantrum. The reason must be addressed immediately to avoid another one in the future.
Love and support – Give them the love and support they need during this troubling time. The tantrums are the toddler’s way of showing you how he feels, and they’re a way for him to tell you that something is wrong. You need to give your child the love and support she needs to get through it.
So, as you can see, tantrums aren’t a bad thing. They’re a sign of how your child is feeling and that something is wrong. You want to give your toddler the love and support she needs to get through it. These tips will help you to understand what tantrums are when they happen. Also this tells you how to deal with them, and how to avoid them in the future.
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