Stopping the Tantrums

More ideas from Mary Sheedy Kurcinka:
"Whether it's a whine, an inability to shift from one thing to another, a refusal to listen or come to dinner, tears that spring up over seemingly insignificant issues, forgotten homework, fight with siblings, or the slamming of doors, think about the behaviors you've seen or heard your child express before the volcano erupted...Imprint the cues in your brain; train yourself to recognize them so that the next time your child starts to whine, you will understand that your child is experiencing a strong emotion. There is a feeling or need he doesn't know how to express. Rather than saying, "I'm not going to listen to you anymore" step into that emotion with words and activities that teach her how to soothe and calm herself."

"Most important, make sure your child doesn't have to escalate in order to be heard. If your child is consistently melting down into a tantrum, it may be that you're stepping in too late. Try to catch the shift in the shoulders, the tone in the cry or voice, the need for attention, while the emotion is less intense."
1. Get down on eye level
2. If you allow more time, you can recognize when wanting help getting dressed isn't about trying to make you late. It's about needing to connect with you before you separate. You'll also realize that dawdling may reflect a need to play just a bit before the hectic schedule of the day begins."
3. Monitoring emotions is essential to managing them. Ask questions like, "What is your body feeling like inside right now?Can you feel fireworks inside of you? Does your body feel like a balloon ready to burst? Give him a concrete image he can use to communicate the level of his intensity. Then he will be ready to learn what he can do to soothe and calm himself before he bursts.