As a parent of a preschooler, you may have experienced your child throwing a tantrum or having a meltdown at some point. While tantrums are a completely normal part of childhood development, they can be challenging for parents to manage. Understanding how to handle tantrums properly for yourself and your kid can make a big difference in the time taken for children to recover from these occasional outbursts.
At MindChamps PreSchool, we know that developing your preschooler’s emotional well-being is just as important as their academic learning. Thus, to help you support them through temper tantrums and outbursts, here are some handy tips and strategies to guide the way.
Stay Calm
While it may be difficult to accomplish with an atmosphere of heightened emotions, staying calm when your child is having a tantrum is of utmost importance. Remember that your child is still learning to regulate their emotions, and their behaviour does not reflect your parenting skills. You can model appropriate behaviour and help your child feel safe and secure by staying calm.
Understand Tantrum Triggers
Tantrums are often triggered by unmet needs, which can manifest as frustration, fatigue, hunger, or overstimulation. A better way to manage is to try to identify what might be causing your child’s tantrum and address it as soon as possible. For example, if your child is hungry, offer them a healthy snack. If they are tired, put them down for a nap.
As your child continues to grow into their own person, they will be more capable of communicating these needs with you, but until then, do exercise patience with them while giving yourself space to learn from these shared experiences.
Provide Routine
Young children thrive on routine, and having a predictable schedule can help prevent tantrums because they will know what to expect. Set a consistent daily routine for your child, including meal, nap, and play times. This can help your child feel more secure, thereby reducing the likelihood of unwarranted emotional outbursts.
Gain Experienced Support with MindChamps PreSchool
Alternatively, MindChamps PreSchool can be a great place for your child to practise how to manage their big emotions with the support of licensed professionals. At MindChamps PreSchool, we understand that emotional stability and mental resilience are important parts of preschool learning. Thus, we seek to provide a safe and nurturing environment for your child to do just that.
Our curriculum uses the S.M.I.L.E.S.™ methodology, which centres around programmes to promote the development of Sensory, Motor, Intellectual, Linguistic, Emotional and Social skills. These activities are highly experiential and can help train emotional regulation and self-awareness, which minimises tantrums from your child.
Ultimately, dealing with emotional outbursts from your preschooler may be tough, but it is not impossible when you have the right mindset and tools to prepare your child and yourself.
If you are interested, contact us today to learn more, or bring your child along for a centre tour at our preschool centres across Singapore.