Get rid of the notion that you have to stop your child from crying during a tantrum
Sometimes all you have to do is hold them and let them cry it out.
There is this unspoken tradition that we have been governed by over the years, one that says that we need to calm or stop a child from crying.
But the truth is as toddler experts and parents have evolved, we have learnt that's far from a solution.
Children cry, that's just something they do. And believe it not, crying isn't something we should be ashamed of, or stop doing (well, unless you find yourself doing it so much that you are unable to control it).
As parents we are shunned in public and private when our kids cry, and we aren't able to calm them down.
However, we are not failing, so get that notion out of your head. What you do need to get into your head is that as kids are growing, they are dealing with emotions that seem larger than they can handle.
And so, they will cry, which is totally okay.
A mother who shares insightful tips on her TikTok page made a great point when it comes to child tantrums.
She shared her video to TikTok.
In the video we see her 19-month-old having a tantrum because her dad had to leave. Here's what she said:
"Abby is 19 months and the tantrums are getting louder and more frequent!! (Raise your hand if this you too 🙋♀️) She was crying at the door because my husband had to leave. I tried to talk to her but every time I said something it was like adding fuel to the flame!
"I remembered that this is a normal behavior, nothing is wrong with my baby (she is only expressing her feelings) and I am not doing anything wrong either (I am simply keeping her safe).
"So, I just sat on the floor and offer comfort, I tried to stay as calm as possible knowing that she would sense my calmness (our mood is contagious!) And she did!!" (TikTok)
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She expressed that the meltdown lasted about 10 minutes and just as Abby started to calm down, she remembered her dad leaving and began crying again.
But in the end, mum was so proud because her ability to stay calm helped. When Abby was eventually done, she got up and ran outside to play... typical kid, they've forgotten about it and moved on!
All they needed was a good cry and ultimately isn't that we all need to learn from sometimes?
After that mum said in her post: "I felt so good after it ended, not because it was over (I mean, that too) but because I didn’t say anything I regret, and I felt we were even closer!" (TikTok)
Image Courtesy of Pexels