Toddler tantrums are a culmination of several things! So, why does it happen so often with your kid? Firstly, it is quite common in children, and there is nothing wrong with your little tiger. A toddler is a playful being who continuously tries to explore the world in quirky ways. When you interrupt this quest to hunt the unknown, your kiddo bursts into a frenzy of tears and tantrums. This scenario, while challenging, is a common experience for many. This is quite a common phenomenon with all kids.
There are several reasons behind toddler tantrums, especially before bedtime. But that doesn’t solve your problem, especially when your several-year-old self has no clue how to handle 16-month-old tantrums! Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Understanding these outbursts can help you better address these nighttime struggles. There could be many reasons, but once you understand it, you can transform bedtime from a battleground into a moment of calm and quiet.
Signs of Bedtime Tantrums and how to deal with them
Apart from shrieks and screams, the signs could be many! Keep a keen eye and recognise these signs as early as possible. This will help you better address the problem. Commons signs include:
- Protesting and yelling: Observe carefully; is it crying, yelling, or protesting? If your child is simply protesting, you can do away with a couple of stories. Cook up a fairy tail of a princess, dragon, and a knight in shining armour, and that should do your work. If your kid is yelling, try to reason with him/her. Negotiations can be helpful, but beware, those don’t turn into bribes. This could turn into a bad habit.
- Denying going to bed: At times your kid might be too restless and simply doesn’t want to go to bed. The habit of sleeping late at night is not good therefore you have to get him/her to bed somehow. You can read a kid’s bedtime story and keep telling it until he/she falls asleep. Be careful your kid can be a very good actor!
- Kicking, Shrieking and Throwing Objects: These are classic examples of toddler tantrums! Calm him/her down. You can try meditation though it might be difficult at first. You can combine this with telling a bedtime story. Hopefully, this should work.
- Repeated Requests: Your kid might come up with novel strategies like asking for repeated bathroom breaks like a diabetic patient! Or he/she might simply ask for more stories to delay bedtime. Pay close attention to all of these and take the appropriate steps.
- Crying: If your kid is crying then this could be quite tricky. Don’t brush away their fears, as it is nothing. In most probability, it is nothing, and you should not express any concerns in your face that your child can easily recognize. But take note of it and investigate the disturbance’s root cause. If your child claims there is a ‘Munster’ in the closet, try to investigate what it is exactly. It might be an old white rag on the door that looked like a phantom with the dark of the night playing its magic! Simply show it and try to inspire courage in him/her.
As cute as they might seem, you have to instill discipline in your kiddo from an early age. The tantrums and glittering watery eyes might break your heart from within, but you have taken a stand against all of these. Being a parent is tough!
What Parents Should Not Do While Handling Bedtime Tantrums
By now, you have quite an idea of how to deal with toddler tantrums. Important as it is, it is also more important to know what you should never do. You don’t want to provoke rebellion in your kiddo while in the quest to discipline him/her. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:
- Don’t Ignore the Tantrum: Your kiddo must never feel left out or uncared. Then this will lead to the building up of remorse. You don’t want to make him/her feel unloved, that’s terrible! Try to calm him/her down with gentle touch, kisses and kind words.
- Avoid Punishment: Oppression creates resistance! Punishing your toddler will not make the sandman sprinkle sands of sleepiness on your kid’s eyes. What it will do is develop a negative impression of you and go to bed. Surely, you don’t want that!
- Avoid televisions or video games before bed: Watching the TV or playing games before bed will do little to send your child to sleep. Better set up a calm and quiet environment before bed, and sleep will come automatically.
Conclusion
Toddler tantrums are a normal part of growing up and a common challenge faced by almost all parents on earth. Some days are easy when they listen to you, while other days seem tough, especially on those days when they totally defy you and all your words. Instead of making your toddler stop crying, you feel like crying. So, how do you stop crying at night? Zeroing out the reasons for the tantrum can help you better design a strategy. The key principle is maintaining a disciplined environment and following a routine. Also, keeping a peaceful environment at home will help you in the long run. Remember, patience and consistency are key. You’re not alone in this journey – many have faced it, and others will face it soon! Why? Well, it is a part of parenting!
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