hey everyone, I could really use some advice. Lately, my son Sam, who’s 3, has been having more and more intense tantrums. It starts when he doesn’t want to do something like getting dressed, cleaning up his toys, or when it’s time for bed. He’ll scream, throw things, and nothing I say seems to get through to him. It feels like I’m constantly walking on eggshells, and honestly, I’m exhausted from trying to manage it. I really don’t want to end up yelling or making him feel worse, but I feel like I’m running out of options. How can I help him calm down without turning every little thing into a battle? Any tips or stratgies that have workd for other parents?
I’ve been there with my daughter! One thing that helped was giving her a bit of choice during those tricky moments. Like, “Do you want to wear the red shirt or the blue one?” It made her feel like she had some control and calmed things down. Hang in there, it’s tough, but you’ve got this.
Same boat here, Noah! My son was exactly like Sam at that age. What helped us was the “calm down corner.” We set up a little cozy space with pillows and stuffed animals, and whenever he felt overwhelmed, we guided him there to cool off. It took a while for him to start going there on his own, but it definitely helped reduce the intensity of his tantrums. It’s important to stay consistent, even when it feels like it’s not working.
I totally get what you’re going through! My little guy used to throw some epic tantrums too. One thing that worked for us was using a timer for transitions. If it was time to clean up or get dressed, I’d say, “Okay, in 5 minutes we’re going to do X,” and set the timer. When it went off, he knew it was time to switch tasks. It didn’t always work like magic, but it definitely cut down on some of the battles. And honestly, on those days when it didn’t work… I’d just give both of us some grace. It’s okay to not get it perfect every time.