Have you ever been triggered during a tantrum and reacted in a way you wish you hadnât? It can be hard to resist yelling or threatening. Some things to avoid when reacting to a childâs big feelings: âTelling them to stop expressing their feelings. âIf you donât stop crying no TV tomorrow!â âInvalidating how they feel. âWhy are you so upset?! Itâs just an art project!â â Punishing them for expressing themselves. âThatâs enough. Go to your room!â â Changing the focus to ourselves and how we feel. âYouâre making me feel so frustrated, stop it!â These statements can unintentionally teach children to suppress their emotions rather than manage them. A child in the middle of a tantrum isnât just acting outâtheyâre often overwhelmed by big feelings they donât know how to handle. When we dismiss their feelings or make them responsible for ours, we miss an opportunity to guide them through emotional development. Instead, try: â Acknowledging and okaying their emotions â Modeling healthy ways to process them â Sitting with them as they process and work through their feelings in their own time OR giving them a moment while youâre nearby. â Redirecting them after seeing or validating feelings (going outside, another activity-not screens or whatever they were crying for) Practicing these techniques can strengthen your childâs emotional intelligence and give them the skills necessary to handle challenges later in life. Want more tips on how to manage toddler tantrums? Comment or DM me âTANTRUMS COURSEâ to get a link to my digital course. It includes tips, scenarios, scripts, and proven parenting principles to understand your toddlerâs development and behavior a little better. Do you have a mantra you use to help you manage YOUR feelings while working through your toddlerâs tantrums? Share below! We can use all the help we can get đ
