Do your younger siblings have temper tantrums? Or do you maybe remember your own fits of screaming, crying, kicking, and whining that drove your parents—and any unlucky bystanders—up the wall? No aspect of human experience seems to be unworthy of study by psychologists, and temper tantrums are no exception. A new study of these toddler tempests indicates that tantrums follow patterns and that these patterns give caregivers opportunities to calm the storm. The findings can also help parents distinguish between normal upsets and those that might indicate a serious illness.
Before they could analyze the tantrums, the researchers had to collect data. To do so, they recorded the sounds of more than 100 temper tantrums by attaching wireless recording devices to toddlers’ onesies. If a child had a meltdown during the session, every ear-melting moment was recorded. The researchers then analyzed the sounds. One of the study’s findings indicates that anger, with its screams and thrashing limbs, and sadness, evidenced by whining and whimpering, occur throughout the tantrum. Child development specialists had thought that temper tantrums start with anger and devolve into sadness. There are peaks in the anger, though, and getting past the peaks to the lingering sadness offers a chance to calm the child.
Probably the most useful aspect of the study is a list of recommendations for dealing with temper tantrums. Here are five not-that-easy-to-follow basic rules:
1. Just wait it out. Get the child to a quieter place where she won’t disturb others.
2. Don’t try to coax the child into better behavior, threaten, bribe, or question. The child is not listening to even your most eloquent reasoning.
3. Offer comfort. Once the child is past the peaks of anger, he will want to be comforted.
4. Find the humor in the situation. Well, you can try.
5. Don’t take tantrums as a personal failure. They happen in every family.
Image credit: © Getty Images
Related Links
- Temper Tantrums: What Your Toddler Is Trying to Tell You (and How You Can Help)
Read about the temper tantrum study on this “Moments of Motherhood” blog.
(Source: Yahoo! Shine, December 6, 2011) - What’s Behind a Temper Tantrum? Scientists Deconstruct the Screams
Listen to the Morning Edition story on science of temper tantrums; includes “Anatomy of a Tantrum” video.
(Source: NPR, December 5, 2011) - What Is a Tantrum?
Review basic information on tantrum behaviors at this British website for parents.
(Source: Babycentre; accessed December 30, 2011) - Tantrum
Read what Sigmund Freud and others have said about tantrums, and find additional links.
(Source: Wikipedia; accessed December 30, 2011)
whoa that was like me! first comment!
Great post! Nya is only four months but still has a way of litnetg me know when she is unhappy by squealing, squeaking, and becoming very squirmy. Given her baby “mini tantrums” now, I am nervous about what is to come with the toddler years!-Jessica a.k.a Nya’s momP.S. I am now following!
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That looks like my sisiter. Yay second comment!
dang it I’m the host how did I not get first comment >:(
this website is cool wat uz
this is a cool web site
this is a very interesting article and luv the little girl tutu
if that girl was a hot teen and did that so attractive-
This is cool!!
looks just like my sis wow thats sad
i quess i will be number 8 2 post a comment…..but i dont think that the 5 not-that-easy-to-follow basic rules are so ok but it could get better.
Also, the children might not just have a temper tantrums because they cant get something it as 2 deal with the parent hitting the child when they do something wrong….
I think that the 5 listed recommendations are very helpful to the ones that do not know how to control temper tantrums of young toddlers. Therefore, It can help anyone understand the main reasons why infants throw fits, holler, kick, and scream when they are angry or or sad. I also think that that was a very good way for the researchers to collect data and find out the reasons why they threw temper tantrums.
ok i guess
hey check out my new camera POW!!! oh wait this isn’t a camera $#@%! wast of money (it was a pistol and he killed someone)
who is the author ?
THIS WAS A WEIRD ARTICLE ABOUT KIDS GETTING MAD AND THT LOOKS LIKE MY SISTER WHEN SHE HAS ONE
I Think Kids Have Tantrums Because There Scared Trying To Get What They Want , But You Hve To Remeber Its Not Always About Whaat They Want And There So Littles Sometimes That We Dont Understand At Some Points , The Reseaches Did A Very Good Job Fiquring Out A Lot Of This About A Toddlers Brain And Wat They Think , Good Job 🙂
hahaha that stuff is funny
haha lol excactly my sister does it all the tim e and he 8 and talks like a baby lol but got to love my sis
Yay 16th comment!
I throw a fit all the time!:{D
this sucks
🙁
🙂
wow
wowwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES AND NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jezzzzzzzzzzz! Toddlers and Tiaras Here she comes!!!!!!!