Hissy Fits: 5 Effective tips to manage your child’s tantrums
These little tricks are surprisingly helpful at managing those dreaded wild tantrums!
It’s quite possibly every parent’s public nightmare. The loud wailing, scrunched face with tear-filled eyes and little feet stomping stubbornly on the ground – yes, we’re talking about the much-dreaded temper tantrums. If you’re feeling frazzled every time this happens when you’re out in public or even at home, you’re not alone. We’ve got 5 effective expert-backed tips on how to manage those anger fits – all without losing your cool (and even sanity)!
1. Give Your Child Space
Sometimes, your child just needs an outlet to vent his or her frustrations. As long as there’s nothing in their tantrum-throwing that could hurt them, giving them space and time to let all their feelings out helps. This lets them learn to vent in a non-destructive manner, pull themselves together and regain self-control – all without any shouting match or power struggle with you.
2. Create a Distraction
This tip, which is particularly helpful if you want to mitigate a toddler meltdown in public, is all about a sneaky distraction techniques to get your child interested in something else so that they forget about the tantrum they were so intent on throwing. Fill your handbag with items like their favourite toys or snacks and bust them out when a tantrum happens. Because children have short attention spans, they can be easily diverted. This tip has proven to be a huge saviour during those dreaded public meltdowns in front of strangers.
3. Hugs
Although this may be the last thing you feel like doing during a tantrum, giving your child a firm hug (instead of a warm, cuddly one) without saying a word can actually help calm them down. Hugs make children feel secure and let them know you care and value them.
4. Give Them Incentives to Behave
Your child might tend to act up more in situations that are understandably more trying for them – like staying quiet in church or having to sit through a long dinner at a restaurant. Recognise which situations might be tricky for them to fully behave and offer them incentives to sit through the occasion. For instance, let them know that because the dinner is an important one, you need them to be on their best behaviour and that you will reward them with something they’d like once you get home. If at any moment your child begins to display signs of a pending tantrum, gently remind them about the treat you had discussed – you’ll be surprised how effective this is in instantly getting them back to form.
5. Keep Your Cool
Although this is admittedly much easier said than done, experts insist that you keep calm and cool during your child’s tantrums. Getting heated yourself will only land you in a power struggle with your child and escalate the tantrum. Instead, take a deep breath and speak in a soothing voice that signals to your child that you will not let their misbehaviour get to you. However difficult they may be acting, do not resort to spanking them in order to discipline them.
Sarah Khan
Photo: Getty Images
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