Most of the time, tantrums are caused by kids getting frustrated or worked up over a small thing, and it’s aggravated even further because as adults, we don’t really get where our kids are coming from, so we usually tend to dismiss their tantrums as nothing important.
However, you’d be surprised how much a little bit of empathy goes a long way when it comes do defusing tantrums.
You only need to ask one question
Instead of scolding them, or dismissing their problem, we should instead ask them this question:
“Is this a big problem, a medium problem, or a small problem?”
Asking your child this question lets them know that you’re acknowledging their problem, and it also lets them think about whether or not their problem is really worth having a tantrum over.
A good example would be if they started having a tantrum after one of their toys got broken. You should ask them if it’s a big problem, a medium problem, or a small problem.
Once you ask them, follow it up with trying to figure out what you can do to solve their problem. Maybe the toy can still be fixed, but they don’t know how. Maybe they can try playing with a different toy instead, while you try and fix the broken toy.
In any case, this step-by-step process of addressing the problem and then doing something about it can do wonders when it comes to preventing your child from having tantrums.
It’s simple, and it works
The great thing about this approach is that it lets your child solve problems on their own and lets them understand that not all problems are things that they should be frustrated about.
When using this approach, you need to be patient with your child, as it’s important to give them time to answer, and think about your question. Don’t always spoonfeed the answers to your child, but let them figure it out themselves.
It’s a simple strategy, and you’ll be surprised at how well it works!
Source: aleteia.org
READ: 5 common MISTAKES that aggravate your toddler’s tantrums
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