First of all, you shouldn’t take anything personally - not the screaming, crying, hitting, babbling, stiffening of the body, and sometimes even biting. None of these things is a deliberate reaction. It means that your little one doesn’t want to hurt or disobey you intentionally. He is just touching and exploring to learn more about himself and everything that surrounds him. He is simply overwhelmed feeling his way around in this big world, and he's basically lost control of his emotions.
However, more important thing is how you are going to deal with these toddler tantrums. When the problem emerges, the best thing would be to ignore the behavior, which obviously takes some patience. But if you're not buying into the routine, he won't keep doing it. And often times we can prevent our baby from throwing a fit if we are able to prevent the situations that lead up to it. So how are you going to do that?
Get the Message!
Watch carefully what your child is doing and follow your little one's cues to see if you can spot the trigger and help him calm down in advance. You will be exhausted definitely, but you'll save everyone - including your fellow shoppers at the grocery store.
Did you miss her nap? Is she tired or overtired? If baby bedtime tantrums should occur, make sure you give her some quiet time. Sleeping in the stroller while you do housework is OK occasionally, but not all the time. Babies need to sleep on a comfy crib matrress and you need the break. Is he hungry or thirsty? Does he need a snack or bottle/breast? Your baby needs to be fed frequently as she has a small tummy.
Does she feel frustrated? Can she reach her goal by getting up the stairs? Is the toy she wants appropriate for her age? Help her get what she wants or distract her attention with another activity, and you'll put your baby tantrums behind you. If she can't communicate, try to realize what she's saying. See if she can show you what she means.
What if he doesn't like to change activities, or to "switch" from one activity to the next? Before you make your move, you can warn him if you say something like this:” Two more turns on the slide, then we are going home". You see, dealing with baby tantrums is easier than you think; you just need to know how to react and what to say in a particular situation.
Most parents are trying their best not to discipline their child, as they think they are too young for that, but discipline is a necessary point in one’s child growing up. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to scream and shout constantly, or be strict and mean, but there are going to be situations where distracting your strong-willed, highly curious, and maybe stubborn child will just not fly.
You must always keep your baby away from any possible danger, and also prevent him from doing anything that might hurt him or others. Let’s imagine situation like this one - your child has just hit you in the face, which shocked you and made you angry. Instead of hitting him back, put him in a safe place like his play yard and after you have calmed down, pick him up and say, "We don’t use hands for hitting, they are for hugging." and give him a tender squeeze.
Your baby needs to have freedom and space, so go and find some safe place to play. There would be no reason for you to repeat “no” so many times and she won’t always feel frustrated.
Don't expect your small child to be comfortable with sharing if he doesn't get it. Sharing a toy feels like giving it away. Instead of using the word "share," use the word "show." It certainly sounds more appealing if you say:"Let's show John your toy” doesn’t it?
Yet, a great number of baby tantrums come from the lack of a schedule in your toddler’s life. Therefore, if you don't have one, take some time and organize it! Taking care of your child's basic needs will help to avoid the tantrum triggers.
To sum up, being a parent means that you are the biggest role model for your child. Teach him what to do instead of what not to do and you will learn how to deal with baby tantrums sooner than you think. If you want him to treat the cat kindly then you have to show him how to do it. That implies that you should always narrate what you are doing, although he doesn't fully understand. Anyway, he will know what is wrong and how to do things correctly.
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