It's like living with a crazy person; one minute your toddler is a fun-loving adorable jokester and the next he's weeping like his team lost the World Cup.
Toddler tantrums are the worst and it's not always easy to figure out why they happen. A toddler's life revolves around only a few things and sometimes it seems to them as if Mom is determined to get all of those things wrong. They can't communicate. They can't do anything for themselves. And they can't have whatever they want. So what's a mom to do? Well, a little understanding can go a long way…
Here at 5 tips to keep your toddler happy and tantrums at bay.
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Feed Them. Sometimes our beta fish will get wacky when he hasn't been fed. He swims around obviously upset and his color looks a little off. Toddlers are the same way. But what's tricky is that you need to figure out what time is the magic hour. One of my kids had to eat the minute he woke up (he's still like that) or a half hour later, he'd be a mess. My second, didn't have the food issue, but would freak out about …
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The Unknown. A toddler may not seem like it, especially if it's your first child, but they are people too and they need to know what's happening. My second son did not do well when I would spring something new on him. He needed a schedule and we needed to stick with it.
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Give Them Whatever They Want. I'm kidding of course, if I did that my boys would have spent much of their toddler years watching Sesame Street, eating crackers, and foregoing naps. What I mean is that at this age, they don't have many needs. If your work life allows it, try to meet those needs quickly. If they're hungry feed them. If they're sad, hug them. If they're diaper or pullup is wet, don't wait until you're done with your phone call to change it.
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Have Family Rules and Stick to Them. Children need structure and they need an adult setting rules that don't change because mommy is tired. One way to avoid tantrums is to be consistent. If your rule is that they can't have popsicles for breakfast you can't occasionally let them have a popsicle because the minute you switch back, they'll freak out.
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Make Them Go to Bed. Rest is key to having a happy toddler. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Some kids need more sleep than others. I had a friend who would put her kids down at 6 p.m and they would sleep until 6 a.m. the next day. It may not have been convenient for them in the evening, but it was best for the kids.
