Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters issued the following announcement on Nov. 9
My daughter is now 18 months old, and we are experiencing the joys of our first temper tantrums. Even though I know these outbursts are part of typical childhood development, I was surprised to learn they can happen at such an early age.
We are not yet near the 2-year-old mark, when we might expect the terrible twos. However, it’s actually common for tantrums to occur from 1-3 years.
Sometimes it’s clear what has caused my daughter to become so upset—not being able to complete a task she is attempting or being told she can’t play on mom’s phone— but other times, she is in total meltdown mode, and I have no idea why. These are the worst. I try to console her and redirect her focus, but without an understanding of the cause, calming her can be difficult.
Here are a few defusing tactics that work (some of the time) for us:
- Make her laugh: Use a funny voice, make a crazy face, grab a toy and act silly—if I can just get her to crack a smile, usually things settle down quickly.
- Suggest an alternative: If she is frustrated because she can’t do something or I won’t let her do something, it helps to give some other options. I list off all of the fun things we CAN do instead and cross my fingers that something grabs her interest.
- Change of scenery: When I can’t get a laugh or find an activity to redirect her attention, we step outside for some fresh air. Ever since she was a newborn, taking her outdoors has always seemed to have a calming effect and it’s a good way for both of us to take some deep breaths and try to relax.
Original source can be found here.
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