Children and Temper Tantrums - Continued

If your child is starting to throw a tantrum, crying or yelling at you in the middle of a store try not to rush to their attention. Just holding their hand and continue to walk along, let them have their ‘fit’ but not giving them the attention they think it is going to give them – even if you are embarrassed is going to be better in the long run. Giving the child all the attention they want and talking them out of their tantrum may make you feel less embarrassed but in the end you are not doing yourself any favors.

When your child is throwing a tantrum, don’t offer excuses or accept the blame when strangers or people notice what is going on. Just about every adult is going to know what the child is really doing, throwing a tantrum until you give in, and they will not say a word no matter how you handle the situation. 

Often times when you are in the car, in the house, at someone’s house or just on the go, your child is throwing a tantrum because they are tired and they don’t want to behave anymore. Allow your child to go to sleep. Lay them down to watch tv or put them in a chair where sleep will take over and they can get the rest they need. The tantrum is the last bit of energy that they really have so they will fall asleep rather quickly and the problem will pass.