6 Tips for Handling Toddler Tantrums

As your child transitions from a baby to a toddler, their behavior and personality will truly begin to shine. Since their moods will also change very sporadically during this time, temper tantrums will become a lot more prevalent. Following some of these tips will hopefully make time with your child a lot more enjoyable. Here are our tips for handling toddler tantrums:

1. Rest

Anyone who is tired has a greater tendency to be cranky or moody, regardless of age. This can especially be true for younger children who are not experienced in handling their emotions the way an adult can. Try implementing a regular nap schedule during the day to provide extra rest, but be sure they are still tired enough to get a sound night of sleep.

2. Allow Crying

According to Jay Hoecker, MD, the frontal cortex of a child’s brain is overridden during a tantrum. Because of this, anything you try to do to make them feel better will either be useless or make things worse. During your toddler’s craziest moments, sometimes it’s just best to let them cry it out! 

3. Create Diversion

Creating a diversion is a great way to avoid a major meltdown for toddlers. When your child begins to get fussy and you can sense a tantrum coming on, it’s time to break out a few distractions to nip it in the bud. Some great options include a child’s favorite snack, toy, or offering them to help you make a decision that will directly affect them.

4. Power of Choice

While your child may demand to have their way about a certain issue, you as the parent know exactly what the right decision is. However, try to offer choices when possible. If you offer choices, they won’t feel like they’re being told what to do, and rather they are the ones in control. If you are trying to get your child to eat, try offering them a choice between two healthy options rather than forcing only one upon them.

5. Responsibility

One way to empower your little toddler is by bestowing them with certain responsibilities around the house. A kid with responsibilities will not only make them feel as if they have some sort of power, but it will also instill discipline in them. Simple tasks like setting the dinner table and bringing their plate to the kitchen will show them you trust them enough for responsibilities.

6. Praise

While reprimanding a child for bad behavior teaches them right from wrong, praising them for the good stuff is just as important. Every little accomplishment in terms of attitude, action, and behavior deserves praise from a parent. Showing your child this admiration will not only give them self-confidence and an esteem boost, but it encourages them to continue the good behavior.

Image: Christine Szeto / Flicker

Also read: How Do You Prevent Toddler Meltdowns?

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Written by Stephanie Parker from Sleepingbaby.com, inventors of the Zipadee-Zip

The motto for Sleeping Baby, makers of the Zipadee-Zip, is: "Inspiring Dreams One Night at A time," and that, in a nutshell, is how it all started…with one little dream that has since become the Parker family's reality. When Brett and Stephanie Parker's daughter, Charlotte, was born, the feeling that welled up inside of them was indescribable; they never realized until first looking into those baby blues of hers that they were even capable of that kind of love.

When it was time to transition baby from swaddling, the Parkers tried every sleep sack on the market and every swaddle weaning trick they could find for nearly two weeks and nothing worked to get baby Charlotte to fall and stay asleep.

Stephanie became determined to restore sleep and sanity to their household and set out to find a solution that would soothe Charlotte's startle reflex and provide her the cozy womb-like environment she loved so much but still give her the freedom to roll over and wiggle around in her crib safely. Out of sheer desperation and exhaustion, the Zipadee-Zip was born. The first Zipadee-Zip(R) Stephanie put together on her little sewing machine worked like magic!

To date tens of thousands of Zipadee-Zips have been sold and all from word-of-mouth marketing. It is so rewarding for the Parkers to see other parents and babies getting the sleep they both need and deserve!

Interested in writing a guest blog for Sleeping Baby? Send your topic idea to pr@sleepingbaby.com.

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