Why tantrums?

Ahhhh The Holidays are here! I get excited to just walk around the mall and see all the stores decorated so pretty! Of course the mall is full of people doing their (sometimes last minute) Holiday shopping. And once in a while (sometimes a lot more!) you’ll see a poor mother or father dealing with a tantrum! Kids get cranky and when they get cranky, they have tantrums. You see tears, kicking, screaming and sometimes even holding their breath!. I feel terrible for the parents. I am sure they are feeling embarrassed and like they are not doing a good job as a parent. But I also feel bad for the child. I see them frustrated, tired and desperately seeking attention from their parents and it makes you wonder, why do they feel a tantrum is the only way?

Well, a tantrum is basically an accumulation of disappointment, sadness, frustration or anger. It is also a child’s effective, although inappropriate, way to change a “no” to a “yes”. In this case, tantrums are a means of getting a desired result (object or action). Or they might be seeking attention.

Sometimes kids are frustrated because they feel hungry or tired and then the tantrum occurs. Other times they want to have more control over their choices (they want to play with that toy, RIGHT NOW!). Tantrums are more common between the ages of 1-3. This is a time when children are exploring and testing the world. If something doesn’t go their way… well, you guessed… tantrum!

But how is the best way to handle those tantrums? I guess you’ll have to wait for next week’s post to find out 😉

Are there any other reasons you think kids have tantrums? Please share it with us!

photo: iStock