As a parent it pays to be able to spot the triggers that cause a tantrum and so make your life easier.
Here's what you need to know:
- Look for signs of tiredness and/or hunger. Toddlers are simple creatures and so are always more likely to become overwhelmed and fly into a rage if he/she is exhausted or hungry. Remember they don’t always know what they are feeling and so can’t tell you what they need.
- Look for signs of increasing stress. Especially when you are rushing your child. Pushing a child to go faster than they are ready to (whether that’s to get him/her out the door or to act in a grown up way) will cause an emotional meltdown in much the same way in does when we’re pushed to go beyond our limits.
- Look for signs of impending anger. A toddler’s desire to gain control over his/her life is huge, and constantly being told no is the perfect recipe for a mammoth tantrum. Be sure you’re saying no for their sake and not just to make your life easier.
- Looks for signs of growing frustration. This will always feed into a tantrum because your child cannot understand why he/she can’t do something she wants to like climb onto the table, watch more television or even share his/her toys.
- Look for signs of distress. A rage can also be triggered by anxiety especially when you are leaving without them, or when another child is encroaching on their space. Diffuse the situation by preparing your child for what’s going to happen, or diverting their attention from whoever is distressing them.
