5 Tricks to Turn Off Temper Tantrums

We have another great inspiration for you from Lisa Shoreland. She has a great perspective on Motherhood and how she copes with tantrums. Something we ALL can relate to at one point or another! Here are her top 5 tricks to turn off Temper Tantrums! Enjoy!

I’ve been a mother long enough to tell you confidently that I have no illusions about motherhood. It’s not always about baking cookies, playing games, being amazed by your child’s intelligence, or enjoying story time together. Sometimes, motherhood means wiping noses, disciplining the disobedient,switching to Plan B after burning dinner, and going to bed too exhausted for anything but sleep. That is to say, motherhood is no picnic. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world. Even at its worst,motherhood still means that I am spending my life with my beautiful children and their loving father,and that’s worth more than I can imagine. So even when you’re dealing with temper tantrums and other crises, just remember that you’re still part of the wonderful gift of motherhood.

5 Tricks to Turn Off Temper Tantrums

If you’re the mom of a preschool-age child, temper tantrums are most likely a big part of your life. Believe me, I can relate. With three young children myself, I’m not sure a week goes by where the dreaded tantrum starts to rear its ugly head. Whether it’s a meltdown over finishing their dinner, leaving a playdate or over a toy, most moms agree   that tantrums are the hardest part of parenting. So, aside from having a meltdown yourself, how do you put an end to the tantrum

before it gets out of control? Thankfully, as long as kids have been having tantrums, parents have been dealing with them. Here are 5 proven tips to help tame that next tantrum.

1. Just walk away. Provided your child is safe, one of the best ways to deal with a tantrum is by ignoring it. This lets your preschooler know that their meltdown doesn’t phase you in the least. Generally when your child sees that the tantrum is not resulting in the reaction they want, they’ll stop.

2. Soothe your child. Some parents prefer to try a more hands-on approach with temper tantrums. One way to do this is by rubbing the child’s back and letting them know that they’re going to be OK. By taking a nurturing approach, your child is more likely to calm down and get over the issue.

3. Keep your cool. One of the most challenging things for parents is to keep calm when their child is having a full meltdown. This is especially true when the tantrum occurs in a public place. But by losing your cool, it will make the situation spiral even more out of control. Take a deep breath and count to ten before you react. Then, if you’re in public, remove your child from the situation and take them to a private spot when everyone can calm down.

4. Make a joke. One unexpected tactic that also works is to use humor to get your child out of their tantrum. Whether it’s tickling, singing a silly song or making funny faces, this strategy works surprisingly well as it makes the child forget the reason she melted down in the first place.

5. Use time outs. For children age three and older, a time out is a good way to take your child out of the situation and calm down. A good rule of thumb is to put your child in a time out for one minute per each year of his age. After the time out, explain to your child that tantrums are not appropriate behavior and the tantrum, not the child, is bad. Finally, it’s important to remember the key to every temper tantrum is don’t give in. If you do, your child will associate tantrums with getting what he wants and these emotional storms will increase. So, stay strong, hold your ground, and remember – this too, shall pass.