How to deal with children throwing tantrums?
@Downunder_dude (407)
Australia
March 11, 2009 10:43pm CST
I babysit my niece once or twice a week, and lately it's just been pure hell.
She's about two and a half (the terrible two's) and she just throws tantrums for me all the time.
I swear it's driving me insane.
It didn't used to be so bad - she'd start misbehaving or getting upset and I could just distract her with other things. I could start reading a book or playing with some toys and she'd forget about being upset.
But right now just seems impossible to me. She just won't stop, no matter what I do.
So I'm looking for tips. I've never had kids and this is something I've never had to deal with. So how do you deal when your kids throw tanturms? Any techniques to help ease the situations?
5 responses
@ScarletAlston (2693)
• United States
17 Mar 09
This is going to sound weird, but I have two ways of dealing with tantrums. In public, I follow the advice of supernanny and ignore my nephews when they start acting up. As long as they are not hurting themselves or others, I let them go ahead and flip out because if I know the way they behave, they will be exhausted and asleep by the time we get back to the car. That's a quiet ride home for me. In private, when they have tantrums, I have one right along with them. I get loud, kick and carry on just like them and when they realize what I am doing, they have stopped and are either trying to console me or just staring at me like I've lost my mind...
@myhoney (7)
• Philippines
13 Mar 09
I don't have kids too but i'm babysitting my niece and cousin, ohh they are trouble to me, they cry all day, it makes my eardrums go boom, what i did, i just gave them something to play with like a rubber duck or a paper, but not sharp things, the most effective trick to my cousin and niece is treat them with cookies.. hehehe but i'm not sure if it works on other situations... goodluck babysitting... :-)
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
12 Mar 09
When my kids were little and threw temper tantrums I made them go to their bedroom until they calmed down and could act right. I would make sure to tell them that, as soon as they calmed down, they could come out. Something about not having an audience makes the tantrum less fun for the child. Good luck with her!
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
12 Mar 09
When my kids were younger, about that age, I would take them to their room, sit them on their bed, and tell them that they had to sit there until they calmed down. I would leave the room and shut the door. At first, they would try to come out still having a fit, but, I would calmly take them back to their room. Sometimes, in the beginning, I would have to hold the door shut to get them to stay in there, but at least I knew they were safe. Eventually, they would calm down and be done with the fit.
Now, babysitting, you may want to ak theparents what they do before you take action. You don't want to go against what they try to do, or do anything that they do not agree with. Be sure you talk to them about it, and hopefully, they will be helpful.
