Guide to Battling Tantrums

Is it just us, or can a bad mood be even more contagious than a cold? The reality is, even the best-behaved little ones can have days (or even just moments) of moodiness….and all it takes is your little one waking up on the wrong side of the crib to wreak havoc on everyone else’s day. Turn that frown upside down with these tried-and-true toddler tantrum tips!

1. Press their ‘Reset’ button. Well, not literally, because (unfortunately!) they don’t really have one. What you can do, though, is tell them that you’re going to restart the day by putting them to bed. Tell them that they’re going back to bed and when they wake up, the day is going to start over (and on a less grumpy note!). Change them into jammies, turn the lights out and tuck them in. Tell them you’ll be back in a few minutes, when you’ll “wake” them up again. It may sound a bit silly, but it works like a charm!

2. Say, “Whatever you do, don’t smile or laugh”. Rules are meant to be broken, after all! Sometimes just saying this to your little one will make them start giggling or they may even break into a smile within seconds of hearing these words.

3. Wear undie crowns and have a dance party. Ridiculous as it may be, this can shake the moodiness off and start the sillies. Just turn up the music, get everyone to put on their most crazy outfit and jam out!

4. Play tag! Pretend you’re the cookie monster (or another character from your little one’s favorite movie) and chase that attitude away! The endorphins from even a quick chase can help adults and kids alike bounce back from a bad mood. Chase ‘em outside or inside…wherever there’s a bit of space. It’s a serious challenge to not start laughing when you’re pretending to be chased by the cookie monster!

5. Rinse off the attitude. Similar to our ‘reset’ button idea, this is another trick that can work wonders. Tell your toddler that they’re going to take a bubble bath (even if it’s just in the middle of the day) to rinse off the bad mood. It’s a quick fix that will have your little one in a better mood asap!

6. Throw a Tickle Fest. Have your little one to lay down on the ground and close their eyes and raise their arms. You can give them a heads up that in a moment, they’ll be tickled somewhere…but don’t tell them where! Usually, this will snap them out of their funk right away and they may even start giggling before you even begin tickling.

Even the best-behaved children can have their moments (or days!). Luckily, even when it seems the day may be going downhill, there are many ways to snap your little one out of it!