What Should We Do When Tantrums Appear?
Tantrums
There is no single way to deal with tantrums. This is because all children's temper tantrums and their causes vary. Just as some parents' patience wears thin more quickly than others, some children have more tantrums than others. But if there is one thing that applies to all children, it is that they start to fuss when they are with their family members. Therefore, these anger or fuss tantrums have nothing to do with being angry. It is more of a situation that arises when they feel negative emotions towards the people around them. Some psychologists say that babies are in complete chaos due to their desire to be independent and remain babies. Others argue that these tantrums stem from the disappointment of not being able to get what they want. Another interesting perspective is that the first tantrum your baby has is real, but over time, they become aware of their mischief when they are tired due to their own anger, and even have complete control over it. Therefore, these tantrums can serve as a weapon for our babies to influence adults.
Causes of Tantrums
Whatever the cause of these tantrums, we want to share some useful information that will make your life easier in these situations:
● Set clear and firm boundaries and stick to them. Your baby will not want to fuss and tire himself out for something he knows he will never win. For example, if your baby knows that he cannot eat as much candy as he wants in the markets, he will remember that it is a big "no" for him and will not fuss.
● Discover the triggers for your baby's temper tantrums and neutralize them in advance. Try to understand the signs and redirect them. For example, does your baby cause trouble when he is hungry or tired? It may be helpful to feed your baby or give him a snack in advance.
● Develop a strategy for yourself when things have calmed down. It doesn't matter what it is as long as it works, but be sure that your baby understands that tantrums do not work. Therefore, do not use rewards, do not give up.
● Strategies can be distracting for you. Walk away, tell him to be quiet, ignore him, or yell back at him... It's up to you. But whatever you do, do not let him get what he is having a tantrum for, and when he calms down, tell him that this behavior is unacceptable. If he continues to get angry persistently, you need to punish him. In this case, tell him to go to his room or sit in the naughty corner, and apply other sanctions that will help him understand that this behavior is unacceptable and must have consequences.
● At the same time, do not forget to consider your own response to your child's behavior; usually, your baby expresses his anger at times when it is most difficult for you to handle. This can happen when you are tired after a day at work or when you are in public. If your baby is cunning enough to choose the right time to get on your nerves, you can also redirect these challenges with a little intuition and planning to overcome them as you wish.
