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Life in lockdown: 4 tricks to tame your kids' tantrums

Life in lockdown: 4 tricks to tame your kids' tantrums
Child psychologists suggest parents to be patient with kids who are regressing, as they’re already feeling extremely overwhelmed right now. @Shutterstock

How do you keep your child from getting on your nerves when you are cooped up together inside the house 24/7? Here are a few tricks and tips to deal with kids' tantrums.

Written by Jahnavi Sarma |Updated : April 10, 2020 7:39 PM IST

The current lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult for you. But it is tougher for your kids. They are naturally energetic and always on the move. They are unable to comprehend this sudden restriction on their movement. How do you make a 12-year-old child understand the dangers of the current situation? Even if you do succeed in making them understand, how do you keep your kids' tantrums from getting on your nerves when you are cooped up together inside the house 24/7?

We understand that parenting is a tough job. But in the present circumstances, it can get really, really difficult. If you are working from home at present, then the situation gets even more volatile. Having your kids around when you are working can be stressful especially if they are in a demanding mood because of being cooped up inside the house. So, what do you do? Here, we reveal a few tricks and tips that you can adopt to make things easier for yourself and also for your kid.

Don't lose your temper

Be patient when dealing with your kids' tantrums. Try and understand that they are going through stress and things are difficult for them too. Getting angry will only make the situation worse. It will also leave the door open for childish tantrums. Your child learns from you. So, if you get angry and shout at them, they may think it is okay for them to do so also. Instead, when you feel the anger coming on, just take a deep breath, count to 10 and relax. Then sit with your kid and try solving the issue together.

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Don't get into an argument with your child

If you feel irritated, just walk away and get busy in something else. If you say anything at that moment, it may lad to arguments. And, arguments have a nasty habit of turning into fights. You want to avoid that. So just divert your mind from your parenting woes and don't argue with your child.

Know when to back away

Sometimes, it may be prudent to say sorry before things get out of hand. You are under stress too and this can make you over-react to situations. This is very natural. Maybe, your behavior is not very reasonable from the point of view of your child. Just step back for a moment and take stock of the -situation. If you think you are in the wrong or that you have over-reacted, say sorry. It will make things better. Your child will also learn the importance of acknowledging mistakes. This can also put a stop to future kids' tantrums.

Relax the rules

Discipline is fine and it is needed too. But sometimes, it makes sense to be a little lenient. Don't be very rigid about timings and allow for some leeway when it comes to bedtime and play time. Be flexible and relax some of the rules that you may otherwise adhere to. You will see things moving a lot more smoothly after that.