(2018) | Useful to Parent Centers and other organizations working with families. Easy to read and share!
This article from the Child Mind Institute gives parents and caretakers of children multiple tips on responding to difficult toddler behavior. Even when we know, as parents, how we should respond to a tantrum, in the heat of the moment it may be hard to avoid doing the wrong thing—something that not only does not work but makes things worse. It’s important for parents to understand why it’s particularly crucial to avoid these responses. The suggestions given in the article as to how to do that can help parents deal with the toddler’s difficult behavior as well as how they themselves respond. Suggestions are framed as things not to do or say, such as:
- Don’t invalidate the child’s perspective or emotions with comments such as “you’re being ridiculous” or “oh, come on, it’s only X”
- Don’t the child how they should feel
- Don’t lie to the child to head off a tantrum
- Don’t say that the child’s behavior is making you sad
- Don’t take the child’s tantrum (or what he or she says before, during, or after) personally
- Don’t be sarcastic (e.g., “your life is soooo hard” or “because this is clearly the most important thing on the planet”)
Access the article at:
https://childmind.org/article/what-not-to-do-when-your-child-is-having-a-tantrum/