Part of the reason toddlers throw tantrums is because they have to wait for something. Eventually, they will develop at least some amount of patience, but if you don’t want to wait for it to happen naturally, you can actually help them strengthen their patience muscles with this method:
Finding yourself saying “no” a lot? Also finding that your “no” can lead to their tantrum? There’s another tactic you could try, but it requires a bit of effort and imagination: Steer the conversation toward an interesting story or offer a tangible alternative.
You know what causes a lot of tantrums? Transitions, that’s what. Transitions from playtime to dinnertime, from daycare to home, from home back to daycare. Even if they’re transitioning to something they enjoy, toddlers do not like to be surprised by an unexpected shift in their day. Here’s how to prep them to transition and, hopefully, avoid a meltdown in the process:
Ah, here’s an easy one. When they want something but it’s not possible, switch out “but” with “and.” Because both things—whatever they want and reality—can be true. It’s a softer sort of rejection, if you will.
After all that, they’re still going to throw some fits, so here’s what to do when that happens.
