I WILL WHINE CRY AND SCREAM UNTIL I GET WHAT I WANT

PSYCHOLOGY OUTSIDE THE BOX

I have used temper tantrums several times, but not when I was a kid. It was just a few years ago when my wife and I were waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store. I was bored and so very hungry. Low blood sugar makes me do crazy things.

Temper tantrums range from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, and breath holding. They're equally common in boys and girls. Some kids may have tantrums often, and others have them rarely. To some degree, they are a normal part of child development. Because toddlers can't always say what they want, feel, or need, a frustrating experience may cause a blowup. As language skills improve over time, tantrums tend to decrease. But not always.

There are many different reasons why tantrums happen. But the great majority of meltdowns result from one simple thing: not getting what they want. So what are the best ways to respond to your child's outbursts?