How to Deal With an Out of Control Child
Many parents are completely at a loss as to how to deal with their child the first time he or she acts out of control. It can come as a very unpleasant surprise, but the truth is that most children indulge in out-of-control behavior at one time or another. According to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Pediatric Advisor, learning how to deal with it will prepare you for the next time it happens, and hopefully help you avoid future incidents.
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Instructions
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How to Deal With an Out of Control Child
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Determine the trigger. Try to figure out why the child became out of control. Children sometimes throw tantrums because they are tired, scared or frustrated. They also can become outraged when they don't get their way. Determining the trigger will help you decide how to deal with it.
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2
Comfort the child. If the trigger for the out-of-control behavior was fear or exhaustion, hug the child and show understanding. Tell her that you understand how tired she is. If she shows frustration, tell her that you can see that she is upset and ask her how you can help.
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3
Ignore the child. If the child is acting out of control in a bid for attention or to get his way, ignore him. If you are at home, tell him that you can see he is angry, so you are going to leave the room until he calms down (make sure that there is nothing in the room that can be a danger to the child if left alone). If you are in a public location, tell him that he is not allowed to act this way, then calmly pick him up and remove him to a private location.
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4
Put the child in time-out. If the tantrum becomes too much to ignore, or if the child acts aggressively, punish her by putting her in a time-out. Set aside an area to be used as a punishment, and make the child sit there (or roll around kicking her feet) for a few minutes.
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Restrain the child. If the child is trying to harm himself, take him in your arms and restrain him. Tell him that you can tell he is angry and that you don't want him to get hurt.
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6
Talk about the out-of-control behavior after it subsides. If you determine the trigger, you can avoid it in the future.
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Tips & Warnings
If the behavior persists on a regular basis, at least once per day or several times per week, talk to your doctor about possible causes and treatments.
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Resources
- Photo Credit hyperorbit: sxc.hu
