It's very unlikely that there's a child in this country who hasn't thrown a tantrum or lost the plot at home over the last year. But how do we, as parents, react?
Mairead read about 'harsh parenting' in the papers this week, so Aoife Lee from ParentSupport.ie was on the show to tell us more.
'Harsh Parenting' is a broad term that can mean something different to each of us, and Aoife explained how things like the naughty step and timeouts can have a negative effect too.
It's not wrong or incorrect, but it's about looking beyond and asking - does it actually work?
View this post on Instagram
When it comes to tantrums, Aoife gave the following tips:
- Start with yourself. Try to keep calm, and avoid trying to reason or negotiate with the child as there is no logic or reasoning in that moment, and you will only get more frustrated.
- Try to figure out the trigger - are they tired? Hungry? Have they just spent a long time on a tablet or looking at a screen?
- Empathize and acknowledge how they are feeling. Validating their feelings by saying something like, "I know you're upset/angry right now, but..." can diffuse the situation.
- Get down to their level or be in the vicinity of the child. Roaring from one end of the house to another rarely accomplishes anything.
Most importantly, remember that you are not alone in this. All parents are human and can have such high expectations of themselves, but the same concerns are in every household.
You can hear the chat in full by pressing the play button on screen.
