How to Handle Toddler Tantrums Before Going to Preschool
As a parent, you may be confused about how to deal with preschool temper tantrums. Using the following strategies may give you the tools you need to deal with toddler tantrums and have a better-behaved child before sending them to the Best Preschool In Ahmedabad.
Why Does my Toddler still have Temper Tantrums?
Toddlers are expected to do tantrums because they are unable to verbalize their desires or requirements, but preschoolers will gradually overcome the tendency. Understanding why a preschooler has tantrums is the first step toward learning how to deal with them. The top reasons include:
- Tiredness as a result of excessive exertion.
- Being hungry when traveling and not receiving what they desire when they desire it.
- Being irritated or annoyed.
- Feeling ignored and desiring attention.
- Wishing they could accomplish things for themselves but not being able to do so.
How you handle temper tantrums now may have a big impact on how your preschooler behaves later in life. Incorrect handling may result in future behavioural disorders. While tantrums are a normal part of your preschooler development, how you respond to them is entirely up to you.
Types of Tantrums
- Frustration tantrums
- Fatigue tantrums
- Attention-seeking tantrums
- Avoidance tantrums
- Disruptive tantrums
- Rage tantrums
What to do When Tantrums are Happening
First and foremost, you want to ensure your child’s safety. It may include physically removing your child from the place where they are having their tantrum, especially if they are experiencing a furious tantrum. If you are concerned about injury, you should hold your youngster in your arms.
Don’t Look at Them
Staying calm and ignoring the behavior is one of the greatest methods to deal with a tantrum. Ignoring your child’s tantrum takes away their audience if they are trying to attract your attention. Simultaneously, you’ll want to “ignore” while still paying attention to ensure your child’s safety.
Divert their Attention
You may be able to redirect your child’s attention to another task or activity if you spot a tantrum early enough. This helps wonderfully with temper tantrums. If your child is having difficulty with a toy, redirect their focus to another age-appropriate toy, puzzle, or game. If you’re in public, you might also consider shifting your location to get away from a tantrum-inducing situation.
Verbal Expression of Feelings
Three-year-olds have an advantage over younger children in that you can begin teaching them coping mechanisms for their intense emotions. After your child has calmed down, say something like, “Temper tantrums are not the way to obtain mommy’s attention. Let us strive to express ourselves through words.” While this may not immediately result in your child revealing their deepest emotions understandably, you will begin the necessary effort for them to verbally communicate their sentiments.
Take a Break
If your child’s tantrum is exceptionally violent or disruptive, you might consider putting him or her in time-out. At this age, an appropriate time for time-outs is between 2 and 5 minutes, or about a minute per year old. If you believe it is a safe place, you can create a designated spot or send your child to their room.
Set a Good Example
You should also consider how you handle your problems during the day. Your youngster is keeping an eye on you. So, if you have frequent outbursts, take a step back and attempt to react more calmly. While you’re at it, when your child finally calms down after a tantrum, make sure to compliment them on their progress.
Be Consistent
Consistency is essential in whatever you do. It can be exhausting to feel like your child is continuously throwing tantrums, but responding, in the same way, will pay off in the long run. When your youngster loses their calm, they will gradually learn what to expect from you. And if you use new tactics, such as encouraging comments, they will gain practice and reinforcement of these important conflict resolution abilities.
Points to Remember for Avoiding Future Tantrums
While you can’t prevent all tantrums, there are some things you can do to make them less likely to happen regularly. Tantrums are more common in children who are exhausted, hungry, or sick, so try to be patient with your child if you feel any of these conditions are to blame.
- Prioritize sleep schedule
- Consistency – Establish a rhythm and follow through
- Give your toddler plenty of choices and let them decide what they want
- Try maintaining a peaceful and friendly environment
- Try giving them small responsibilities and making sure they can do them, many times toddlers get frustrated when they can’t do something.
- Never encourage your toddler’s demands every time and try giving them friendly warnings, before doing anything new for example, when you are going out inform them and give them time to process it before you leave.
When is Professional Help needed?
Tantrums should become less common as your child’s self-control increases. By the age of three and a half, most youngsters exhibit fewer tantrums. If your kid is causing harm to himself or herself or others, holds his or her breath to the point of fainting during tantrums, or has escalating toddler tantrums after the age of four, discuss your concerns with your child’s doctor. The doctor may look at medical or psychological factors that may be causing the tantrums.
Conclusion
Toddler Tantrums can be tough at times but handling them with a little bit of patience can be very beneficial to both the child and the parent. Many times toddlers just can’t figure out how to showcase their frustration and that comes out in the form of tantrums. So, rather than thinking that your toddler has a behavioral problem, think of it as an opportunity to get to understand and help them so that they can feel safe to express their feelings without throwing tantrums. We at Apples & Bananas Preschool, communicate with toddlers and teach them how to express themselves without throwing any tantrums.
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