Temper Tantrums - 5 Common Causes and How to Deal With Them

Temper tantrums take many wild and sometimes amusing forms. It is easy as a parent, or as an observer, to write them off as naughty behavior but what causes these happy kids to go nuts all of a sudden?

The most common causes are not really going to surprise you.

Top 5 Temper Tantrum Causes

  • Need for attention (or attention seeking).
  • Hunger or thirst.
  • Pain or discomfort.
  • Tiredness.
  • Frustration.

One thing to keep in mind is that your child, especially under three years of age, has a limited set of communication tools. Sometimes the outward reason for the temper tantrum is not the real reason.

A small child might break down into a fit over what appears to be all about you denying them some candy at the store but the root cause is the simple fact they have not had enough to drink.

So just how do you deal with a tantrum?

First prevention is better than cure. I know life is not a black and white world and things happen but try to run through that list throughout the day. If you have mentally checked things off you might eliminate some of the potential tantrums throughout the day and also narrowed down your possible causes when a tantrum strikes.

Frustration and need for attention are the hardest to manage. Young kids have a rough time learning to use their bodies and sometimes it does not go well for them. All you can do is show patience and understanding.

Need for attention is different to attention seeking. Take as much time as you can to hang out with your child and give them the quality time they need. Not giving them that time can lead to wasting more time later on dealing with tantrums so you might find it more effective to consciously give them an hour a day of good time rather than 2 hours of negative attention.

When a tantrum does strike then try to use your child's short attention span to your advantage by offering a distraction. A different thing to play with or an activity. Consider their request seriously, sometimes it is better to give in a little to prevent a total meltdown.

Giving in does not demonstrate weakness or bad parenting. And if all else fails make sure they are in a safe environment to go crazy until the emotions subside and try to remain calm.

Click here to learn exactly what your children really want when they act out, throw tantrums and become unreasonable.