3 Effective Ways To Handle Toddler Tantrums and How to Prevent Them

So, your little one has reached the incredible age of one year. Congratulations! You must be excited for the beginning of a new chapter. But have you started to notice some pent-up anger in that cute little body? Do you feel like your once sweet and calm baby is now a force to be reckoned with?

If so, your child has probably entered that stage of growth where tantrums are a reality. If you feel overwhelmed, it is normal. Tantrums can be difficult to handle. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent tantrums as much as possible or to treat them more effectively when they inevitably happen.

What are toddler tantrums and how do they manifest themselves?

If you have ever noticed your child kicking, screaming, crying, holding their breath, or manifesting in some aggressive or hurtful way, then you have come across the powerful toddler tantrum.

Historically, tantrums were seen as a manipulation tactic used by little ones to get attention. Parents were taught that there is no logical reason why a child could be acting this way and that the child should be isolated during an episode and allowed to “cry out of his system.” Today we understand that this is not the case. Unfortunately, this archaic belief has been so socially accepted that some parents do not understand the real connotations of tantrums.

Studies on why children misbehave

According to Meri wallaceAs a child and family therapist, parents need to know that a crying child is a child in need or experiencing trauma.

The body of investigate on this topic shows that tantrums are a normal part of childhood development, usually manifesting in children between 1 and 3 years (sometimes even older). They tend to be more common in the second year of life, when young children begin to develop language skills. As they begin to understand more and more about the things that are happening around them, they become increasingly frustrated at not being able to accurately convey what they feel and want. As language skills improve, tantrums tend to lessen.

Young children become fascinated with the world and begin to yearn for independence. When they find out that they can’t do everything themselves and that they can’t have everything they want, they may throw a tantrum.

Studies They suggest that at the age when social and emotional skills begin to develop, young children generally cannot understand, handle, or express “big” emotions. For them, tantrums are just an outlet used when they try to show others how they feel or a way they try to understand what is going on around them. Tantrums can also be triggered by stress, hunger, tiredness, or the inability to cope with specific situations.

Young children’s tantrums are just a normal part of a child’s development. That doesn’t mean you can’t prevent them or learn how to properly manage them. But how do you do it exactly?

How to prevent tantrums in young children?

Just because tantrums are a way for your little one to express himself doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to prevent him from responding to every little stimulus and situation with a tantrum. Your job as a parent is to guide and assist your child in times of need, and that also means making sure their environment is safe and gun-free.

1. Reduce stress

As children begin to understand the world better, they may begin to feel overwhelmed. Independence is something they will inevitably have to deal with, but while it may seem exciting, they can also feel stressed out by all the significant changes that come with reaching childhood.

Investigate shows that a major factor in increased stress is separation anxiety. Spending less time with parents and dealing with new situations, such as preschool or learning to walk and talk, can lead to frustrations and tantrums. While these new situations are unavoidable, there are ways you can help your child manage his stress.

Rene Hackney, Ph.D., a developmental psychologist, suggests establishing and sticking to a daily schedule to help your child get into the new routine without creating high levels of stress. As long as they know what they will do, new activities will be easier to tackle. Routines will also keep them busy, not allowing them to feel like you’re not with them every second of the day.

Try to be there for your child as much as possible and, most importantly, make time for breaks. Your child needs time to relax and assimilate all the new information as he passes.

2. Identify triggers

Has your child ever thrown food around the room? What about ripping their toys for no apparent reason?

As parents, you may be inclined to think that your child is simply misbehaving for no reason. All these rallies and tantrums are real and always have a real reason behind them.

To point out what triggers are, you need to observe and investigate the situation. Does your child tend to be picky when forced to eat a specific food? Do they get angry when they haven’t had a nap? Whatever the reason, as you see, you can eliminate certain triggers from your child’s routine. If they seem to hate apples, give them oranges. If they seem angry when given a particular toy, maybe throw that toy away and let them play with something else.

To make your life easier, keep in mind that the most common triggers are tiredness, hunger, long waits, boredom, disputes over food, fear, being ignored, and changes in routine.

3. Give them some independence

While it may seem like a young child is too young to be allowed options, the truth is that most tantrums are triggered by frustration created by a lack of control over their lives.

You don’t need to let them do outrageous things alone. Nobody supports the idea that the child goes to the park alone at two years of age. But it would help if I allowed them little choices, like “Would you rather have orange juice or apple juice?”, “Which shirt do you want to wear today?” This can help build their confidence and ease the frustration they feel at not being independent, reducing the need for tantrums.

3 effective ways to handle toddler tantrums

You are now equipped with the knowledge on how to prevent as many tantrums as possible. But some behaviors are unavoidable. Perhaps you are busier than usual on a specific day and cannot be as alert to the signs. Maybe you just can’t detect a certain trigger. And so your toddler is screaming and crying again. What can you do then?

1. Stay calm and pay positive attention

Whenever you are faced with a tantrum, remember that your job is to calm your child. If you are also yelling, how can you control your child’s screaming and crying?

the best way to deal with tantrums It is taking a deep breath, remembering that your child has legitimate reasons for misbehaving, and trying to comfort him. Remember that tantrums are developmentally healthy and accept that they are sometimes unavoidable.

Depending on the triggers of the trauma, positive attention can mean different things. If your child is scared, he may need a hug. If they are fussy about being denied something, the best way to help them is to explain the reasons and, if they persist, wait for the tantrum to pass or distract them with another activity.

Comforting them will show them that they are in a safe space, which will increase their confidence in you and allow them to feel more comfortable just talking to you about their problems in the future.

2. Acknowledge your feelings

Since he knows what our son feels in our minds, he believes that it is enough to recognize his emotions. The truth is, your child doesn’t know that you understand what he’s going through if you don’t verbalize it.

A simple “Okay, I know you’re upset that we couldn’t go to the park today” can make all the difference when it comes to calming your child. It can help them feel loved and understood. The more they feel they have gotten their message across, the less need they have to continue their tantrum.

Verbalize Understanding how your child is feeling can also be the first step in helping him understand himself. It can help your child label and understand their emotions. Naming feelings is the first step in helping youngsters identify them. They can develop an emotional vocabulary that will allow them to tell you how they feel instead of having to throw a tantrum in the hope that you can understand and help them.

Talk about feelings with your child strengthens your relationship, making him feel more secure in your presence. Therefore, they will trust you enough to talk to you openly. This will help you control your tantrums and even prevent them in some cases.

3. Don’t give in to toddler tantrums.

Allowing children little options is different than giving in to requests that come their way during tantrums.

You will often hear outrageous things during toddler tantrums, such as “I want to watch TV all day,” which is just an absurd request.

Giving in not only allows children to do something harmful in that moment, it also creates a correlation between misbehaving and being rewarded. This correlation is something that will cause more problems in the long run and will cause more tantrums.

So, stand your ground. Never let them get out of dealing with the problem. Be firm, wait for the tantrum to pass, and explain why they didn’t get what they wanted after calming down.

Final Thoughts on Preventing and Handling Tantrums in Young Children

Having a young child is a full time job. There is no denying that. And unfortunately, tantrums are part of the experience. Fortunately, you can prevent tantrums by reducing stress, identifying triggers, and allowing young children moments of independence. If tantrums are still unavoidable, try to stay calm, talk about your feelings, and never give up! After all is said and done, you will have weathered the storm and can enjoy a delightful time in the park with your calm and satisfied toddler.