08/10/2020
TANTRUMS
It is important to look at what tantrums mean developmentally. It is an uncontrolled outburst of anger that says, "the world is not going my way." It is hard to just stop - it is best not to avoid them but let them happen in a healthy way. Sometimes as we initiate new rules and boundaries, or even the simplest demand a tantrum can occur.
We want to follow a healthy process in order to get through it. I like use 3 Golden Rules as a barometer to know when to remove your child from the situation:
1. I won't hurt myself
2. I won't hurt other people
3. I won't damage or destroy property.
We remove them not because they are "bad" for throwing a tantrum but because they are not able to stop their body or words. We want to give them a chance to "rest their bodies." A consequence is not given for the tantrum itself, but for the action taken as a result.
Next time your child is in tantrum mode, try using these phrases and see how you child reacts to them!
