BIG tantrums are an opportunity for BIG CONNECTION.
When I became a mom I believed a tantrum was.
Evidence my child was purposefully being difficult.
The result of me not being a good parent.
A belief that something had gone wrong snd I needed to fix it.
But then I began to realize there were other reasons my kiddo might be having a tantrum.
Maybe a friend had said something to him and he was struggling to process it.
Maybe his brother had taken away his toy and he didn’t know what else to do.
Maybe his homework was challenging for him, and he felt like a failure.
Maybe his sandwich had been cut the wrong way.
It doesn’t really matter why he’s having the tantrum.
The thing that matters is the fact that he’s feeling these feelings. Those feelings deserve validation even if we think what brought them on seems silly or even a bit ridiculous.
Our child might be feeling really hurt or fearful.
If we can offer empathy, then we open the doors to understanding and connection with them.
Let them cry if they want to cry.
Hold space, and allow them to see that you are there for them. They don’t have to process this emotion alone.
All emotions are allowed, but not all behaviors, and you can help them understand what it looks like to feel supported as they work through the messy things in life.
If you’re interested in learning more about Connect Method Parenting send me a message, and I’ll put you on the list to get info next time I open up one of my programs where we deep dive on it.
xoxo,
Andee
