Taming a tantrum

TANTRUMS ARE A very common phenomenon in toddlers. That's because, at this age, a child's cognitive development is advancing very rapidly, but while he is able to imagine what he wants, his ability to wait and view the situation from another perspective is not quite as sophisticated. He therefore becomes easily frustrated and prone to tantrums.

The most effective way to deal with this is to observe your child carefully, familiarising yourself with his behaviour. When he shows signs that he is becoming frustrated, distract him. 

Another helpful approach would be to reward your child with warmth and attention when he is behaving helpfully or constructively. It is very tempting to busy yourself when a child is happily engaged, but that is actually going to make him more likely to try and get your attention by throwing a tantrum. To his mind, your unpleasant attention is better than being ignored. 

Finally, make sure that your child is getting enough rest. Tired children become frustrated far sooner than those who have regular rest times. If you've recently eliminated a daytime nap and your child is now more prone to tantrums, you might want to reinstate it, or start the bedtime routine earlier.