How to Avoid Toddler Temper Tantrums

Member

By MSmith
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (22 Ratings)

Avoid Toddler Temper Tantrums

Many parents dread the thought of going shopping with their toddlers. They can't enjoy an uninterrupted dinner at a restaurant. They avoid going to house parties for fear of embarrassing temper tantrums. Their babysitters keep quitting. Here are a few tips to avoid toddler temper tantrums.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Step 1

Children were not born to destroy the lives of parents. They want to be happy and please parents as much as you want them to. Here are some suggestions that might help.
Step 2

A well fed and rested child is easier to manage: Keep a consistent daily routine and schedule for meals, sleeping hours and nap time. Once they are well rested and fed, you are already half way to victory. Try to lay down for a nap if possible with your toddler. If you are stressed and tired, your toddler can sense the tenseness in you, and that in turn can cause restlessness in your child.
Step 3

Keep your child content and feel secure: Schedule time to play with your toddler, read stories, sing songs and sometimes just goof around together. Once your children are satisfied with having had enough of your attention, they are less likely to seek it in a destructive way.
Step 4

A happy child is more Cooperative: Involve you toddler in house chores. If you are doing dishes, lay a large bath towel on the kitchen floor, give you child a bucket of water, and let you toddler wash his/her play house dishes. Give your child a duster and let him/her follow you around and dust after you. Let them match socks and fold their underwear and little shirts and pants when you are folding laundry. If you are working in the garage, let them sit near you in a safe spot and get busy with their little plastic tool. Praise them for everything they do for you even if you have to redo everything they did later. They don't need to do a perfect job. It gives them a sense of being like Mommy or Daddy. You never know, they might actually learn a thing or two later.
Step 5

Explanation vs. order: Avoid saying "Don't do this, don't do that". Kids like to do exactly what they are told not to. Instead, tell or show them the consequences of certain actions. Exe. If you do not want them to reach up and touch that glass vase on the table, tell them what happens if someone touches it and makes it fall. It can break and hurt them. Kids are smarter than we expect.
Step 6

Positive reinforcement: Praise and reward with your child on good behaviors. Give a little treat like spending some time play with your child together. Ignore minor things you don't like them to repeat. Stop firmly bad behaviors by diverting their attention to something else. If that does not work, a brief time out can be applies. Explain clearly why they need to sit down quietly alone.
Step 7

Behavioral Conditioning: Any demand made by screaming an crying should be ignored and your child need to be told to stop immediately or they will be sent to their room till they calm down. The first couple of times, the crying may last for a while. Don't give in even if it breaks your heart to hear your child's deathlike misery. You would like to nip it from the bud. Once the crying stops, you need to reassure your child of your love and move on. Avoid spending too much time making up. That leads to further tantrums in return for more attention of your make up seesion.
Step 8

Consistency: Rules needs to be consistent and punishment be realistic. Never make empty threats that you will not follow through. Never make threats that is not practically doable. Never make promises you can not fulfill. Your child needs to be trained to know you mean what you say.