Toddler temper tantrums

Temper tantrums – a highly scary word for parents and caregivers.

Have you ever wondered why a young child has a temper tantrum? Consider this: Most toddlers have a very limited vocabulary. Your child may be trying to figure something out or complete a certain task. He can’t find the words to express himself. Frustration slowly creeps in and triggers the anger button – and you have a temper tantrum. Team the frustration up with thirst, hunger or tiredness in any order, and the temper tantrum may come sooner.

Now ask yourself this – do children have temper tantrums on purpose?

You may think that young children do this on purpose just to get on your nerves or to get what he wants, but preschool Sugar Land believes that that’s probably giving him too much credit. Young toddlers don’t hatch evil plans to embarrass you in public, it is just their way to express frustration. If however, you feed these tantrums with rewards, they will turn into learned behavior in older children.

How to avoid tantrums?

There aren’t any magic formulas to follow but Montessori Sugar Land TX believes that by establishing a daily routine and sticking to it as far as possible helps your child know what to expect. Nap times and bedtimes should be followed so that your child is always well rested.

If you need to change your child’s routine, plan ahead. If you need to run some errands for example, go at a time when your child is not likely to be tired or hungry. If you are expecting to spend time waiting in a queue, ensure that you have packed a snack, a toy or something to entertain him with so he is occupied and not bored.

At Sugar Land Montessori, we encourage children to use words to express themselves. We introduce vocabulary to them that they can use. Teach him words like hungry, sleepy, tired to express himself and see the world of difference it makes to both of you.

Always praise good behavior with a hug and praise when he uses the right ways to express himself. If you see some frustration brewing in your child, try to distract him with an activity or a snack – always helps.

So what is the best way to respond to a temper tantrum? Ignore it!

You might think that calming a child down during a tantrum might help, but it will just make matters worse. At Montessori Sugar Land, we instill into children very early on that they should use words to express themselves and if they can’t find a word for what they want to say, we have a special code word they can use so we can help them!

Remember that it’s important for you to stay calm and in control in these situations. Only then will your child feel secure. Happy Parenting!