Dealing with Toddler Tantrums: Prevention and Management

Navigating toddler tantrums is extremely difficult, especially in a childcare setting when you are taking care of multiple children at the same time, or you have more than one child at home. Here are some strategies for preventing and managing the tantrums of toddlers. 

It is important to note that toddler tantrums are not something that parents and caregivers should try to stop, but rather something that they need to learn to navigate with each child. Tantrums are an opportunity to help your child or the child you are looking after at a daycare center learn to process and work through their big emotions. Toddler tantrums are a normal part of child development that stems from a child’s inability to effectively communicate their frustrations. 

Preventing Tantrums: 

1. Establish a Routine: Having a daily routine at home or daycare will reduce the number of surprises for toddlers, which will also decrease the chances of them having a meltdown. Toddlers like to know what is coming next, so they are prepared for it, which is why they thrive when they have a daily routine. 
2. Offer Choices: Toddlers like to have some control during the day because they are developing independence. So instead of saying we are having chicken and rice for lunch, present a few kinds of food for them to choose from. 
3. Provide Positive Attention: When a child is not able to get an adult’s attention, they may throw a tantrum to get some kind of attention. Make sure you are giving each child in your class at daycare some of your attention throughout the day. 

Managing Tantrums: 

1. Stay Calm: Whether you are a parent at home or a caregiver at a daycare center, it is so important to stay calm when a toddler is throwing a tantrum. In that moment, the child is overwhelmed, and staying calm will go a long way. All we want as humans is to have someone there for us who is emotionally stable and calm when we feel like our world is falling apart. 
2. Stay Present: Talk to the toddler having a meltdown even when you feel like they are not hearing you. Keep your voice low and talk them through the situation. 
3. Respond Do Not React: It is tempting to react to a toddler throwing a tantrum by just telling them to stop, especially in a daycare setting when you have a room full of other children to tend to. But the best thing you can do is respond by acknowledging the toddler’s feelings and then offering them a hug or something to distract them.