Kids & Company Blog

Handling Temper Tantrums

Let’s face it - Temper tantrums are bound to happen. Funny thing is, before I became a parent, I used to think only “spoiled kids” threw temper tantrums – boy was I wrong! Temper tantrums happen with any child and being spoiled has nothing to do with it!

Truth be told, I’ve accepted the reality that tantrums are real, and I’ve become better at detecting when they are about to happen. The key to not pulling out your hair is learning how to take care of a tantrum.

Parents Canada has some great tips as follows:

1) What’s happening around here?
When your child has a temper tantrum, get in the habit of asking yourself where this behaviour is coming from. Is your child tired, hungry, scared or experiencing anxiety? So many factors can trigger a tantrum. As a parent, you’ll need to put on your detective hat to figure it out – especially if you have young children that cannot communicate themselves. Remember that patience will be your best asset!

2) Less is more
Sometimes when your child is having a full blown tantrum, you may try to give them anything for the tantrum to end. I’m sure you’ve heard before, “If you stop crying, I will give you…” – every desperate parents go to! Jokes aside, it’s important to set boundaries so that your child knows a temper tantrum will not always give them what they want in life.

3) Understand tantrums are a part of life
I’ve learned that temper tantrums are a part of parenting. Your child will have a meltdown at some point, and how you choose to deal with it will either prolong the tantrum or shorten it. From my personal experience, I've found that attempting to turn a negative situation into a positive experience is what works best!

Natasha Carr is the Events and Marketing Coordinator for Kids & Company. She is a mom of two young children who find ways to make her and her husband laugh on a daily basis. Natasha loves connecting with other parents too! You can reach her at ncarr@kidsandcompany.com

Posted on: Tuesday February 27th, 2018

Posted by: Kids & Company