Helping Your Child Control His Emotions
If you ask parents to list the most frustrating discipline problems during early childhood, you would find that these three items appear on every list. All children master their own version of these behaviors – every parent has to deal with them!
Controlling Their Emotions
Most often these behaviors are caused by a child's inability to express or control
his emotions. Tiredness, hunger, boredom, frustration and other causes that ignite
The Big Three can frequently be avoided or modified. When your child begins a
meltdown, try to determine if you can tell what underlying issue is causing the
problem. Solve that problem and you'll likely have your sweet child back again.
Handling Tantrums, Fussing and Whining
No matter how diligent you are in recognizing trigger causes, your child will
still have meltdown moments. Or even meltdown days. The following tips can help
you handle those inevitable bumps in the road. Be flexible and practice those
solutions that seem to bring the best results.
Offer Choices
You may be able to avoid problems by giving your child more of a say in his life.
You can do this by offering choices. Instead of saying, "Get ready for bed right
now," which may provoke a tantrum, offer a choice, "What would you like to do
first, put on your pajamas or brush your teeth?" Children who are busy deciding
things are often happy.
Get Eye-to-eye
When you make a request from a distance your child will likely ignore you. Noncompliance
creates stress, which leads to fussing and tantrums – from both of you. Instead,
get down to your child's level, look him in the eye and make clear, concise requests.
This will catch his full attention.
Tell Him What You Do Want
Instead of focusing on misbehavior and what you don't want him to do, explain
exactly what you'd like your child to do or say instead. Give him simple instructions
to follow.
Validate His Feelings
Help your child identify and understand her emotions. Give words to her feelings,
"You're sad. You want to stay here and play. I know." This doesn't mean you must
give in to her request, but letting her know that you understand her problem may
be enough to help her calm down.
Teach the Quiet Bunny
When children get worked up, their physiological symptoms keep them in an agitated
state. You can teach your child how to relax and then use this approach when fussing
begins.
You can start each morning or end each day with a brief relaxation session. Have your child sit or lie comfortably with eyes closed. Tell a story that he's a quiet bunny. Name body parts (feet, legs, tummy, etc.) and have your child wiggle it, and then relax it.
Once your child is familiar with this process you can call upon it at times when he is agitated. Crouch down to your child's level, put your hands on his shoulders, look him in the eye and say, let's do our Quiet Bunny. And then talk him through the process. Over time, just mentioning it and asking him to close his eyes will bring relaxation.
Distract and Involve
Children can easily be distracted when a new activity is suggested. If your child
is whining or fussing try viewing it as an "activity" that your child is engaged
in. Since children aren't very good multi-taskers you might be able to end the
unpleasant activity with the recommendation of something different to do.
Invoke His Imagination
If a child is upset about something, it can help to vocalize his fantasy of what
he wishes would happen: "I bet you wish we could buy every single toy in this
store." This can become a fun game.
Use the Preventive Approach
Review desired behavior prior to leaving the house, or when entering a public
building, or before you begin a playdate. This might prevent the whining or tantrum
from even beginning. Put your comments in the positive (tell what you want, not
what you don't want) and be specific.
When It's Over, It's Over
After an episode of misbehavior is finished you can let it go and move on. Don't
feel you must teach a lesson by withholding your approval, love or company. Children
bounce right back, and it is OK for you to bounce right back, too.
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