How to Avoid Temper Tantrums For Good

Heard scary rumors about terrible two's? Want to avoid the melt-down at the mall? With these simple steps, you are on your way to raising kids who behave wherever you are.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Love
• Patience

1. Be Proactive!! Do not wait until the child is two to begin. Decide what you believe is acceptable behavior for your child and begin establishing guidelines right away.
2. Build your child's trust. Tell the child/baby "I will be right back" before you leave the room. When you return, they learn that Mommy/Daddy does exactly what they say. When you tell a child "one more time and you are going in time-out", then you need to do exactly that.
3. Keep Discipline Calm and Simple. Redirect the child's attention from what they should not be doing to what you would like them to do. Use simple phrases like "try this instead", "that is not okay", "that is a no-no, but you can have this". Keep in mind that different methods work for different children. Find what works best for your family.
4. Don't skip meals or naps!! Make sure your children are well fed and well rested before your scheduled outing. Plan ahead and keep healthy low sugar snacks in your purse or car. If your outing is far away, play soft music an d let them sleep in the car. However, there is no perfect substitute for a meal and nap at home where they are familiar.

Tips & Warnings

• You must be consistent. You are training the child to behave properly. They must always know where the boundaries are.
• Keep a simple activity with you when going out. (Stickers and notepad, crayons and coloring pages, etc.)
• Use resources that reinforce what you teach your children. (3-2-1 Penguins is a cartoon that teaches about sharing, not being lazy, etc.) Also there are many books that teach kids how to behave.