Seema Mohal

Have you ever witnessed a baby literally lying on the floor and whining and screaming at the top of his voice? Well, that’s all about a baby temper tantrums.

When our baby throws a fit, we come to the conclusion that he is going to be one difficult child, but trust me it is mostly not the case. Like adults, babies also go through different moods and behaviors.

ALSO READ – All About Health And Development of 7 Month Baby

Reasons Behind Baby Temper Tantrums

Lack of proper communication

Whether you have an infant or a toddler, chances are that he throws a fit because of a lack of proper communication channel. Yes kids do try their best to tell us what they want but often we are unable to decipher the same. This then results them in screaming, whining and crying.

When Hunger strikes

Yes, and I have experienced this first hand with my daughter who is barely 10 months old now. Given the amount of work a mother has, it is only human to forget, at times, that you have to feed your baby as well. But the way my daughter screams (not cries) is unbelievable. So yes, when kids are hungry, they will throw a temper tantrum if you’re not paying attention to them.

When they are tired or sleepy

It’s funny because a tired and sleepy baby has to be put to sleep but they can’t do that on their own often times. When their tiredness goes beyond their tolerating limit, the only thing they know to do is throw a temper tantrum.

When they are afraid

Adults have a tendency to experience a lot of different emotions. And babies are the same, only their way of expressing is different. When kids are afraid, they’ll either cling on to you tight or start screaming and crying. My daughter, again, screams, cries and comes running (more of crawling) to me. While she’ll be anxious to see what happens next, she will throw a fit and be inconsolable for some time.

When they want something

Throwing a temper tantrum is a part of being a kid. They don’t know what is right or wrong and also that a tantrum at a public place looks just too odd. A lot of times when a toddler isn’t given what he wants, there is definitely bound to be an episode of tantrum for you to witness.

ALSO READ – What’s All The Fuss About A Baby Walker?

How To Deal With Toddler Tantrums?

1. The first thing that you, as a parent, have to understand is the reason behind the toddler tantrums. Is he hungry? Is he sleepy? Make sure that his needs are met.
2. Often times you have to ignore the baby and not give him attention. But ensure that he isn’t hungry or sleepy or any of those things. If a baby is throwing a fit at you, chances are he will take his own sweet time to get back to normal. So ignore until he does.
3. You can try to divert his mind. A personal example of this is, whenever my nephew comes over to our house, the first thing he wants is soft drink and he’s only 2 years old. If we say ‘no’, he bangs his head on the wall. So the moment he goes anywhere near the fridge (the trigger point), someone makes a loud noise and starts clapping. This makes him run towards the noise and he forgets about soda completely (at least for a little while).
4. Offer your baby lots of cuddles and hugs whenever he starts to throw one at you. It will make them feel secure with the situation and will calm down sooner.
5. When I’m doing some work and my daughter is screaming, I hand her a couple of things to nibble on like a slice of apple (or any available fruit for that matter) or a biscuit. Instant quiet.

Are you struggling with baby temper tantrums? What strategies are you applying? If you have any experience or questions, please share with our community.