Hello Hive World!
This is my first time posting in this community and I want to express my appreciation to the admin and community team for this safe space to discuss motherhood issues, share ideas and learn from each other's experiences.
I am a mother of two boys and it's not easy raising them even though mothers like to give the appearance that it's easy. Maybe not to raise an unnecessary alarm but still, it's an uphill task.
Motherhood has made me appreciate my mother more every day. Whenever I visit home for the holidays, I always stick by her side like a child (because I am her child 😄) and my husband would laugh at me for it.
To the theme of this post - I threw tantrums a lot when I was a child according to my mother and my children do the same. It's worse because they are boys and very energetic.
Is It Normal For Children To Throw Tantrums?
It is very normal for children to throw tantrums because it is their way of communicating that they are unhappy or upset about a situation. My boys usually cry, throw their toys around the house or fight each other which eventually leads to more crying. They do these when they are tired, hungry or uncomfortable.
One thing I noticed was that as my first child grew older (he's six now), he learned how to handle his frustrations. It was always stressful for me when he would burst into tears, spoil his toy and fling them away in anger. I was worried so I taught him to always SPEAK UP and say what he wants rather than throw tantrums. I am relieved that he learned in no time and expresses himself easily.
Tantrums will not only confuse the parents, but they will also make the child think such behaviour is right. It is not.
I remember a neighbour in my former residence who threw/broke things whenever he was angry. He lived upstairs above us and we could easily hear him when he was in such a mood. I asked my husband why an adult who should be a good example of proper behaviour to his children would throw things around.
My husband responded that maybe he was not cautioned as a child when he threw tantrums. I do not know whether or not this is true but such behaviour is unruly.
Reasons For Tantrums And Handling It
Usually, children within the ages of 1-3 throw tantrums because their speech ability is at a developing stage. They are unable to express their needs clearly so it is up to the parents to figure out what the child wants at the time.
In teaching my boys to express themselves more, I make them understand that we cannot get everything we want in life. So instead of acting out, they can always talk to their daddy and me anytime.
It is important to protect our children and not allow tantrums to become violent as it may be a sign of a more serious problem.
When I asked my mother how she handled my tantrums, her reply was with a cane! 😂. I guess that works too but I don't beat my boys. Talking with them always helps.
How do you handle tantrums in children? I welcome more suggestions. Thank you for your time.