Having children is a blessing, but there is nothing as testing as a child having a tantrum. As a parent, it is one of the difficult situations we can find ourselves in, and staying calm to help your child through the tantrum so that you both come out of it happy is overwhelming and daunting. However, here are some of the ways to stay calm when your child is having a tantrum.
Take a breath
One of the first things you can do is take a breath yourself. Take a deep breath and count to ten. You can feel very stressed when your child is having a tantrum, especially if you are out in public and in surroundings not under your control. Taking a breath will ground you so that you can see clearly.
Be mindful of your reaction
Your reaction is so important. Getting stressed means that you might react in a way that isn’t helpful. Raising your voice, getting frustrated and agitated can make things worse and not better. Be mindful as reacting with empathy can calm the situation down quicker.
Get down to their level (if possible)
Sometimes bringing yourself down to their level can help you to show empathy to your child and enable them to feel more supported. A tantrum is usually a way for your child to react and show frustration because they can struggle to communicate in any other way. Getting down to their level can help you to calm the situation.
Calm yourself first
Staying calm is essential, so prioritise your own feelings even for just a few seconds. How you feel controls how you react, so if you start to calm your mind your physical and mental reaction will be more positive for your child.
Remove your child from the situation
If you are out in public, then a great way to diffuse the situation is to remove your child from it, if possible. There will be something that will have triggered the feelings of anxiety that may have caused the tantrum to take place. It might not be possible to remove your child from the situation but if you can this can be a quick and easy way to calm a tantrum, and to help you stay calm in the process.
Acceptance
There is nothing more calming than accepting a siatiion. When you accept things as they are, you become more at peace, and the same can be said for when your child is having a tantrum. Accepting this is just part and parcel of young childrens behaviour will help you to feel calmer about what is happening and react in a different way. Your child is normal and a tantrum is just another way for your child to communicate.
Recognise the triggers
Finally, a great tip is to look out for what might be triggering a tantrum. You may find that there are common denominators, which means that if you spot triggers in the future you could avoid a situation entirely.
Hopefully, these tips will help you to stay calm when your child is having a tantrum.