Many things in life test our patience, like getting stuck in traffic when you’re late for a meeting or a rude stranger who cuts in front of you in line. For parents with toddlers, dealing with tantrums is possibly one of the most trying tasks, often even more challenging than the mountain of paperwork awaiting them at the office.
But learning how to deal with toddler tantrums effectively can have a positive effect on your professional life, too. Here are some of the few ways being a better parent can make you better at your job.
1. It teaches you to be patient
Adrienne Cadena, a “millenial” mom and manager, shares in an article on Entrepreneur how being a parent required her to totally change her mindset, teaching her to be patient despite growing up as part of the “instant gratification” generation. At work, she shares how she would impatiently seek updates from the team she manages, but she later learned how being patient made her function more efficiently as a manager.
2. It makes you more focused
A common misconception is that employees who are parents is that they are easily distracted and that work isn’t their priority. But the contrary is true for many moms and dads, as working parents tend not only to manage time wisely but can also be equally invested in their passion for work and parenthood. In fact, it’s been found that most employees tend to become more ambitious once they have children.
3. It teaches you to appreciate the little things
In the home and at work, celebrating the small victories is essential to truly appreciating each day. This constant sense of optimism will help make facing hurdles easier! When your child is having a meltdown, keeping a cool head and staying positive are important skills that will help in calming them down.
4. It makes you more compassionate
Defusing your child’s tantrums requires empathy and the ability to listen. It also requires you to offer solutions after fully understanding what is upsetting your child. This same skill also applies to friends and co-workers. Being able to sympathize and genuinely care about their struggles will help you become a better friend and colleague.
“They grow louder and more animated as a way to get attention and show you that this issue is important to them,” Susan Orenstein, a marriage therapist from North Carolina, U.S.A, tells Lifehacker. She also emphasized the need to reassure the “tantrum thrower,” young or old, that you understand what they are going through.
5. It helps you become more emotionally stable
Being able to help your little one navigate through negative emotions can help you keep yours in check. Tantrums stem from overwhelming feelings that they are not equipped to deal with just yet. Once you continue to fulfill your role as a comforter, they will learn how to communicate better. Always remember that tantrums are a toddler’s way of communicating their needs. It can also become an oppurtinity for you to build a trusting relationship. Dealing with tantrums with love will not only teach them self-control, it will teach them they are loved and that they can be themselves, even if they’re upset.
READ: ‘Magic words’ you can use to calm your child down during a tantrum
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