How to Handle Your Child's Tantrums—5 Easy Strategies

This morning your three-year-old was an adorable ray of sunshine. Then, within seconds of announcing it was time to leave the park and go home, her happy-go-lucky mood changed into a raging outburst like a scene in a cringe-worthy horror movie. (With dozens of bystanders in the vicinity, of course!)

What the heck just happened? A tantrum, that’s what! Your child was in the full-blown throes of a meltdown.

No parent enjoys tantrums. But the fact is, they’re a normal part of childhood that every family experiences. The next time your child has a blood-curdling meltdown, try one of these five simple strategies. They’ll help you embrace the moment, rather than cringe, and soon you'll both be feeling the love again.

Strategy #1: Stay calm

Although getting angry might be your first reaction when you’re dealing with an explosive outburst, getting riled up is counterproductive. Kids feed off of the emotional atmosphere around them.

The best thing you can do is to remain calm. Don’t challenge your child when he’s angry. Instead, show him the calm demeanor you want him to mirror.

When one of my kids is pushing my buttons or doing something that I find completely unacceptable, I count to ten (sometimes a lot more!) and talk myself down. Stay calm and in control, this too shall pass.

Take a few seconds to get your feelings in check and shift from being frustrated and ready to lash out to a calmer state.

By taking a few seconds to get my own feelings in check, I can usually shift from being frustrated and ready to lash out to a calmer state. Then, I can handle my child’s situation without losing my composure. When you work to manage your own behavior first, you effectively neutralize the power struggle.

RELATED: 10 Ways to Handle Difficult Days

Strategy #2: Know your child’s trigger points

Tantrums usually arise from one simple thing—a child not getting what she wants. When a child doesn’t get her way, she responds with frustration and, in order to get your attention, she throws a fit. Tantrums are like a test your child is giving to you, her parent. How well do you understand her needs?

In an article about tantrums by The Child Mind Institute, Dr. Vasco Lopes, a clinical psychologist, explained:

A majority of kids who have frequent meltdowns do it in very predictable, circumscribed...

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