Does your three-year-old throw a tantrum every time you deny him a chocolate? Does your little girl start crying when you try and put her to sleep?
Equally common in boys and girls, temper tantrums usually occur between the ages of one to five years and can range from whining, crying to screaming, kicking, hitting and in extreme cases, even breath holding. Here are six ways to handle your kid's temper tantrums.
1. Sometimes ignoring the tantrum works best, especially since tantrums usually last less than two minutes, and attempts to stop a tantrum usually make it worse. When you stop responding to your child's temper tantrums, the behaviour may get worse for a few days before it stops. However, ignoring some temper tantrums like kicking, biting, and pinching may not be possible to ignore.
2. When your kid throws a tantrum, comfort him or her without giving into her or his demands. Never punish a child after he or she a temper tantrum. Avoid using words like 'bad girl' or 'bad boy' to describe your child during a temper tantrum.
3. Teaching a child different ways to deal with negative emotions may reduce the number of temper tantrums a child has or prevent temper tantrums from getting worse. Offer simple suggestions to help a child learn self-control. If your child has learnt how to speak, remind them that he or she can talk to express rather than scream. Notice and praise good behaviour.
4. As parents, it is important to be a good role model. Children often learn by watching their parents, so set a good example by handling your own frustration calmly.
5. Communicate with your child. If your child wants a candy, justify your reasons for not letting him or her eat it. Keep such temptations off-limits to avoid dealing with a temper tantrum.
6. Distracting your child can go a long way in controlling temper tantrums. A child's attention is fleeting and easy to divert. When you feel that your child is going to throw a tantrum, read out a story or offer to go on a walk to the park before it can escalate into a full-blown tantrum. Engage your kid in art activity. Sometimes, humour is the best way to distract. Make a funny face or tell a joke to get your child's mind off what's upsetting him or her.
BDST: 1847 HRS, SEP-08, 2014
