Tantrums are very common in children aged 1-3 years old. This is when they start to develop their social and emotional skills. They often don’t have the words to express big emotions so they use tantrums to express their feelings.
The way a parent deals with tantrums can affect the way your child reacts to emotions. As a provider of ABA therapy in New Port Richey, Florida, we recommend you the following ideas for handling tantrums in toddlers:
- Stay calm
Speak with a calm voice and act deliberately and slowly. Getting angry can make the situation harder for you and your child. - Acknowledge their strong feelings
This prevents the behavior from getting out of control and gives your child the chance to reset their emotions. - Wait it out
Stay close to the child so they know you’re there but don’t try to reason with them or distract them. Any behavior analyst will tell you it’s too late once the tantrum has started. - Take charge when you need to
If the child has a tantrum because they want something, don’t give them what they want. - Be consistent
The problem can get worse if you give them what they want and sometimes don’t.
If you find your child’s tantrums too hard to deal with especially if they start happening more frequently and intensely, it may be a sign that you should have a behavior analysis in Florida. Tantrums usually shouldn’t be a cause for concern and generally stop on their own.
You can come on over to Autism Interacts ABA. Our staff can help you distinguish whether your child is having a problem and how to deal with it.
We also provide other services such as parent training, verbal behavior, and behavior therapy.