Every parent has at some point received a hard dose of parenting – toddler tantrums. The anger, screaming, emotional discharges, destruction of property, and the forcing of others to obey can be extremely frustrating for anyone. On the other hand, every child has his or her fair share of throwing tantrums and it is essential to realize that these behaviors can be handled a great deal.
Gentle parenting is one of the most recommended positive parenting strategies where empathy and understanding are the core. In this complete guide therefore, we will discover a practical Gentle Parenting Tantrum Hack for toddlers and then give strategies you can apply to seething children making it easier for you as a parent.
Reasons Variety Causes Toddler Tantrums
Tantrums in toddlers are to be expected in every child for the age group of one to three years. Children of this age, babies include – who walk or are on the verge of walking. In this phase, children also learn to think and grow emotionally, there is very little capacity to communicate to them and they try to throw tantrums for some reasons.
Communicating effectively is a new skill they have not yet learnt and many parents end up feeling angry with their children as they are unable to comprehend the cause of the outburst. Parents who are frustrated by tantrums should realize that there are specific reasons that underlie these tantrums to enable them deal with their children better.
Why Tantrums Occur Again in Toddlers’ Cases?
One of the leading reasons for tantrums among toddlers is the increasing desire to be independent alongside the poor verbal communication skills. Children like doing things by themselves but might not possess the capacities to do some things, thus frustrations kick in.
Other factors that factor that may lead to toddlers’ tantrums is that the toddlers are in the process of learning how to control their emotions which makes them prone to strong feelings.
They feel this way for many other reasons such as being hungry, sleepy or simply uncomfortable and when their needs are not met, they throw a tantrum. Within these factors are potential reasons for why tantrums should occur in order for parents to cope with tantrums better.
Triggers Tantrums the Most
Various triggers are often considered the most likely to lead to a tantrum and being mindful of such triggers can make it easier for parents to contain or even eliminate tantrums. It is well-known that hunger and fatigue can lead to frustrations in one’s emotional state; for example, a cranky toddler is less likely to care about control than a well-nourished toddler.
Transitions, such as moving from a particular task to a different task without any prior notice, can also be a little painful to younger children. A situation where too many people or too much noise is present can also be too much for many children, in which case they may well throw a tantrum.
And lastly, sadness oftentimes turns into frustration and anger when a child is refused something they had asked for. It is therefore possible that over time, parents will learn to avoid triggers and be able to contain outbursts.
Principles of Gentle Parenting Tantrum Hack
Gentle parenting is one of the best strategies to deal with tantrums whereby the parent seeks to calm down the child by corps of empathy, connection, and communication. Gentle parenting strategies do not advocate throwing and ignoring of tantrums or punishment as a solution, parents are advised to listen to their children and help them with words to verbalize their feelings.
This has also the positive consequence of teaching children emotional control, and over time decreasing the number of tantrums in parents, which is way more beneficial for everyone than just screaming at the angry toddler.
How This Hack Works
The key to this gentle parenting hack lies in taking a step back first and acknowledging the child’s emotions before reacting to them. When a tantrum begins, squeeze in a pause and appreciate what your child is feeling. You might say something along the following lines, “I get your point made as you missed playing with this toy and this has made you upset.
By defining the feeling, you assist the child in comprehending and articulating what they are experiencing. Once the feel is validated try to reground the children and offer compromise. For instance, ‘That toy is not available at the moment but we can use this one instead’.
This approach not only calms the situation at hand, but plays a role in the social emotional development of your toddler in the long run.
The Effectiveness of Gentle Parenting in Dealing with Tantrums
Gentle parenting techniques offer schedules for tantrum management because they do not approach dealing with a child’s behavior through punishment. By looking into feelings and instead exposing them as they are, you help your child with emotional understanding and emotional expression.
Power struggles are also minimized since children are less inclined to defy authority who they feel believes them. Gradually, this develops trust and safety which diminishes chances of tantrums occurring intermittently.
If toddlers know that their emotions will be expressed, they will run to embrace their parents instead of throwing tantrums.
Practical Tips for Handling Tantrums
Gentle parenting is a long-term solution to tantrums, but many times other factors are at play that makes managing the tantrum necessary. The following practical tips provide parents whose children street tantrum with calmness, limits, and enhancing desired behavior during and after the tantrum.
Let it Go, Do Not Yield
One of the most challenging aspects of dealing with tantrums is knowing when to participate and when to ignore a situation. In these situations, the tendency to focus attention on the child’s tantrum makes it worse because it is an attention-seeking behavior. In such situations, it is better to turn a blind eye towards tantrums and refuse to give in.
But this does not mean that a child will be ignored- yes become a part of the child’s world and make sure that he/she is safe however, do not respond in a way that may put the child in a position of needing to tantrum even more.
Remain Steady and True to Your Child
In most cases, very young children tend to copy the emotions of the adults around them, making it very important to remain silent amongst their tantrums. In case there are feelings of frustration and anger directed towards an outburst from a child, it might easily become worse.
That’s why it is also very much effective if a short break is taken to just breathe and then respond. There are ground rules and consistent rules need to be reinforced where by emphasizing on certain rules makes it clear to the child what is right and wrong.
It is possible to prevent the future aggressions by letting children know calmly about the boundaries during tantrums.
Establishing Limits by Providing Options
Limiting options for your child can help prevent blanket exclusion of any tantrums all the while giving your child an opportunity to feel in charge. Instead of flatly refusing requests, offer two choices. Say for example “I know you want to go outside and play but for now we can either read or do a jigsaw. Which one would you prefer?
This will help create a flexible child but still hold the lines. It also prevents self-injurious tantrums since it provides the children with something to focus on rather than being inflamed.
Staving Off Tantrums Before the Outbreak
Generally speaking, prevention is the first management principle that one should apply in toddler tantrums. If you manage potential outburst triggers early on, it is easy to avert the eruption from occurring at all.
Caution and Diverging Attention
One of the most common reasons for having tantrums in children is that they have to make transitions, that too more so in toddlers when they are playing engrossed in an activity. The former would also aid in the transition themselves by warning them beforehand.
For instance, parents could say, “In five minutes, we are going to clean up. It gives children a chance to prepare mentally for the cleanup.
Another important technique is diversions—if you see a meltdown coming up, then providing some other activity or showing something fascinating can aid in avoiding the attack from following through.
The Role of Repose and Food
Children who are relaxed and have sufficient food can bulk mothers’ love away better. Hunger and lack of sleep are the two main causes of tantrum behavior so it is important to ensure that children follow a training schedule for sleep and meals.
Also, when one uses a proper schedule, not only do emotional outbursts reduce but the child is also able to feel safe and in control.
Also, it is possible to use healthy and convenient snack options in order to reduce the possibility of tantrums caused by hunger, especially on days where meals may be late.
Promoting Effective Communication
If young children can express themselves, they are less likely to become frustrated and throw a tantrum. For that reason, supporting children in learning words such as, “mad”, “sad”, “tired” will help them communicate what they need before their emotions get excessive.
Young children copy how others behave including parents therefore speaking to your child about your feelings even if they are negative, helps them understand good communication because they will do the same.
Feeding praise for the appropriate response, such as waiting for their cheers or feedback, when their toddler talks about how they feel multiple times in a calm way is reinforcing that behavior in that context.
After a Tantrum Has Occurred
After a tantrum, it is easy to see that your child has been angry, but it is now time to restore some connections with your child and reinforce the target behavior not just any behavior. It is possible to offer comfort and to explain the circumstances or the “cause” in a way that helps the child know what he or she can do differently next time.
Guiding Your Child Towards Self-Esteem After the Tantrum
After a tantrum, all that is required is gentle reassurance of companionship or calming reassurance because the child is utterly upset. At this stage, the child can also say a little about what happened. It is also very useful to ask the child what they think and feeling at that moment.
Hugging the child and asking him about his feelings increases the understanding that there are no emotions that can be seen as unpleasant and that parental love is always present no matter the child has angry feelings or even tantrums.
Reinforcing Good Behaviors
After it all blows over, it is crucial to point out any good that might have surfaced. If your child managed to self-soothe during a meltdown or verbalized their emotions afterward, such actions should be acknowledged and rewarded.
This kind of behavior reinforcement serves to reinforce in toddlers that tantrums are not the best and the most effective way of getting their needs communicated.
At What Age Can a Child’s Tantrum Be Considered as Reckless and a Cause for Concern?
Tantrums, like other behaviors, are a stage that many preschoolers pass through as they grow up. However, though these are common as the child develops, there are situations when they may denote something more serious. If the occurrence of tantrums is too frequent, too long-lasting or seems to be especially violent, it may be advisable to consult a pediatrician or a child psychological tumbler.
These may include continuous tantrums that last for more than 30 minutes, aggression or self-abuse and an inability to settle down despite containment and even consolation. Adopting an early approach to help can also avert more serious behavioral problems in the future.
Conclusion
Tantrums are an exciting yet troublesome phenomenon every child goes through. The eureka moment comes when a parent looks inside and understands the emotional Okays need to be worked on. Gentle parenting, along with some tactics such as limiting the possibilities, providing options, and helping the emotions of the child can help bring down the stress of tantrums a lot.
These strategies can lead to a more calming atmosphere for both the parents and the child, enabling the child to develop an emotional intelligence and communication skills in the future.
FAQs on Gentle Parenting Tantrum Hack
Q: What is the best way to quell a tantrum in public?
A: First thing instead of panicking, remain composed and try to budge the meltdown as much as possible and if it is necessary evacuate the kid. Make use of a diversion as well as have good limits.
Q: Is it bad to ignore a tantrum?
A: Yes, if the tantrum is a means of seeking attention or obtaining something the child should not, tempering it down pays off. Safety of the child should be granted.
Q: What other methods can I use to prevent tantrums in the first place?
A: Use proper routines, bring in enough sleep and nutrition and allow your toddler choices so that they won’t feel helpless.
Russell F. Jones, holding a Master in psychology from the University of Florida. He writes for Smart Parent Solutions, offering practical advice on parenting and child development. His engaging content helps parents navigate family life with confidence and ease. Russell enjoys sharing his knowledge and spending quality time with his family.