Hell hath no fury like a kid fresh home from school. Your eight and nine year old can quickly adopt the rationale of a two and three year old. For some reason, the frustrations they have pent up throughout the day suddenly erupt when they get home. For you parents caught in the middle of the late afternoon psychotic break- don’t worry too much. The meltdowns your child is experiencing are actually pretty common.
Tantrum Tricks
Children are all different, and will respond to different ways that you try to help. Here are some parent-tested and kid-approved tricks to help your child vent their frustrations and calm their nerves.
- Hungry, Hungry, Hungry! Feed the Hungry! Make sure your kids have enough to eat at lunchtime. Some kids are slower eaters- so if your child likes to take their sweet time and savor every bite- pack them a lunch that is easy to eat quickly and that will fill them up. Have a snack ready and waiting for them after school.
- Get Up and Move! Having to sit at a desk for 5-7 hours a day is a challenge for anyone, but especially kids. Take your kids outside to burn off some energy after they eat their snack.
- Personal Space! Parents and little siblings are excited to see their child or sibling get home from school, but sometimes their excited mood can be too much for the stressed older child. Wait a while before sicking the toddler siblings on them or asking them questions about their day.
- Connect with Them! A lot of the time as parents, we are in a rush during the after school hours. We have clothes to wash, dinner to make, and must make sure homework gets done. Take some time to connect with your child and chat with them one on one. A couple of minutes of undivided attention can work wonders and keep you in the loop about what’s happening during their school day.
- Manage the Meltdown! Sometimes despite our best efforts, a freak out is just inevitable. If your child does end up having a meltdown, take them to their room or other private place until they calm down. Most importantly, make sure you stay calm. Your children will feed off of your energy.
Parenting isn’t all gap tooth smiles and fun milestones. Remember- there are some days on this wild ride we call parenting that are harder than others. When your kids are having a more emotional day than usual stay patient with them. There is more to this type of behavior than just them being difficult.
