Positive ways to deal with cranky children
By far the best advice we can give you as you start the week off.
Kids are said to be very temperamental, with their moods constantly changing. Now, from the outside looking in, it can be extremely overwhelming.
Mostly because you don't know how to explain it all. And neither do kids. They just feel so overwhelmed by all the feelings and then act out, the acting out usually comes in the form of moodiness, screaming sessions, and tantrums.
We wanted to make you feel a bit less stressed about it all, so, we sought out some information on how to deal with grumpy, moody, cranky kids.
According to the No Guilt Mom, JoAnn, there are two ways to deal with a grumpy child.
A preventative way and a reactive way.
JoAnn is a National Board Certified Teacher with her Masters in Education, a certified life coach, an author, a speaker, and, most importantly, a mother. We think it's safe to take her word for it.
The preventative way involves "Teaching kids how to identify and COMMUNICATE their feelings". Which will mean fewer tantrums in the future.
The reactive way means that your kids have escalated with their emotions already and, so, you need to take action.
Her first point of note is to breathe. Even if you are a patient person and generally respond well to your kid's moods, it can become triggering after some time.
So, she suggests that you take a moment to breathe and bring calm to your mind. This will prepare you for helping your kid with their mood.
It's important to start thinking about what could've triggered your child. This also depends on their age.
Some common triggers include:
- a sibling getting attention
- hunger
- tiredness
- told to do an undesired activity (i.e. homework or chores)
- being reprimanded
- told to stop doing something fun, like come inside to eat and say goodbye to friends
Interestingly enough, JoAnn suggests that once you have identified the trigger, don't do anything about it. Just let your child calm down and then you can address it.
This excludes a hungry child, of course. If they are hungry, feed them.
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We found this one to be quite helpful - don't take things personally.
Getting upset at how they are treating you is not going to help either one of you.
While your kids may be in a bad mood, you should focus on regulating your own emotions. Excuse yourself and take your time to reset.
In the interim, ask your kids if they need some quiet time. Although this may not work with all kids, it is a good way for everyone to take some time to calm down.
Another way of helping your cranky kids is offering them a hug; sometimes that's all they need to feel better.
"Behavior is communication and our kids aren’t yet capable of expressing all of their needs in a calm way. Honestly, many adults are capable of being calm 100% of the time either. Remember that you are learning as you go as a parent. No one has a child and immediately knows the best way to raise them. Parenting is constant experimentation between what works for your own child and what works for your personality." (Noguiltmom)
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