One of the toughest parts of parenting is dealing with tantrums. The screaming, kicking, and crying is the complete opposite of music to your ears, especially when it happens outside of the comfort of your own home. It can make a parent feel helpless, embarrassed, and overwhelmed, but keep in mind that it happens to everyone. Would you believe that toddler tantrums are an important part of children’s emotional health and well-being? Here’s why:
Crying releases stress from our bodies. Tears contain the stress hormone known as cortisol, and it has been found that tears lower blood pressure and improve emotional well-being when coupled with a good support system. Rather than trying to shut down your child’s tantrum, let them cry it out without trying to interrupt the process.
If your child is struggling during an activity or task, they might start to have a tantrum out of frustration. Afterward, however, they may feel refreshed and ready to try again. Expressing their frustration helps to clear the mind and ready their brain to learn something new. When a child is unable to concentrate or listen, it may be due to an emotional issue. Expressing those emotions is all part of the process of becoming happy and relaxed again.
Just like adults, children can wake during the night because of stress. Their bottled emotions come to the surface when it is time for their brain to rest. Let your child have their tantrum in its entirety to improve their emotional well-being and help them sleep better through the night.
No one enjoys dealing with tantrums. We all have hard days, but at such a young age, our children do not quite yet understand how to express their emotions maturely. The more we ask our children to keep it together both at home and in public, the more their emotions get bottled up inside them. Home should be a place that you allow your child to express their feelings of upset, meaning that they will do so less in public.
The best thing parents can do during a toddler tantrum is to stay calm. It takes practice and lots of patience, but it will help rewire your brain to become a calmer, more peaceful parent.
At Children’s World Learning Center, we aim to provide high-quality care to enrich and enhance each child’s social, emotional, cognitive, language, and creative development. Our dedicated staff is invested in each student and love to see children grow and succeed. Contact Us today to learn more about our program and enrollment for our childcare centers in Greenville, NC!
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