If you thought that tantrums were over because your child finally reached their tween years, you should think again. In fact, now your little one can scream and stomp their feet louder and are more likely to hold onto their grudge for a lot longer than a younger child.
Try to understand them
When your tween suddenly explodes in a whirl of emotion, try to understand what they are going though. Your child is going through plenty of changes and while they have not quite reached puberty, they will still be dealing with a lot of emotions and maybe even anger that they simply can’t control.
Try to minimise it
Look for signs that your child is about to have one of her temper tantrums and try to prevent it or at least to minimise it. If your little one is starting to get pent up about something, try to diffuse the situation by saying you will talk about this later. Wait until they have cooled off before broaching the subject again.
Set consequences
It is important your child knows that tantrums won’t be tolerated. Set ground rules and consequences for their actions. Be consistent and make sure they know where the boundaries lie. Grounding or taking away their phone or computer is the most effective form of punishment.
Let them cool off
When your son or daughter storms off slamming doors and stomping their feet, don’t go chasing after them. Give them a chance to cool off and come back to apologise. This will help your little one learn to control their emotions and come to you with an apology without you having to ask for it.
Things to avoid
Avoid using empty threats - if you say you are going to take their phone away, do it. Otherwise the next time you try to use it, it won’t be as effective.
Keep communication open
Sometimes a temper tantrum is a sign that your little one is stressed or worried about something and they are simply expressing themselves this way. To help in these situations, keep the lines of communication open between the two of you. If your tween knows that they can come to you with any problems, they are less likely to keep emotions hidden until they explode.
