Okay so I made the word tantramatic up. I know if you have a toddler you’ve been where I am about to take you. Everything is great, you’re out and about running errands, you know nap time is around the corner, but she’s doing so well. Then it happens, their snack is too hot or cold, the air is touching them or you are the worst mommy in the world. Whatever it is, we as moms see it and no matter how hard we try to avoid it, it happens, THE MAJOR MELTDOWN!!! There’s crying and yelling, pouting, kicking and screaming (I’m talking about me, just kidding). What is it that turns your little angel into this huge beast you don’t recognize and what do you do to put it back into the box. I have no clue, but hey you can try the techniques below.
1. If it’s close to nap time before you leave the house DO NOT TAKE THEM WITH YOU!!!! Wait, wait until after the nap or wait until someone comes home that can watch them while you run the errand. This seems simple right?! But often we want to get things done when we want them done, not realizing that this disrupts your child’s pattern (now this only works if you have a pattern established). And while it may be easy for us to adjust not so easy for a little person who doesn’t even realize they need a nap.
2. Pack a to go bag. I carry a huge purse, not because I have piles of money I stuff in there, but because I need an arsenal of things to keep her busy while I conduct my business. Why do we expect our little people to sit still and focus when most adults can’t sit still and focus? When we have to wait what do we do, we are on our phones, and we refuse to be bored. What makes you think it’s any different for them. So I have snacks, a baby doll, tablet, water/juice, and a pen and paper in there. Pick what will entertain your child and put it in there.
3. Learn “The Look!” All parents have the ability to give “The Look” it’s the look that says, enough is enough, stop clowning me in this public place. Now, here’s the catch you have to start practicing the look at home. You can’t be out in public, mid tantrum and give the look, they’ve never seen it before. They are going to keep going bananas because you look crazy to them. This may sound funny but really introduce your discipline techniques at home so that children are aware when their behavior is unacceptable.
4. No means No! That goes for so many things, but in the reference it’s for when your child makes a request you say no and then the meltdown happens. If you give in guess what, they won and they’ve figured out that you can’t handle the tantrum so whenever they want something they now know to lay it on you to get the desired result.
5. Don’t mom shame. We’ve all been there and if you haven’t well good for you. The last thing this mom needs is someone shaking their head or finger at them. Trust she doesn’t want this to be happening to her, but it is. So say a silent prayer for her, she needs it.
What do you do if your child throws a temper tantrum? Share with us in the comments, we could all use the help.
Check out my previous post: A Change Is Gonna Come!