7 Weeks to Taming Temper Tantrums

Even the smiliest, most mild-mannered baby may surprise you with a tempestuous array of behaviors shortly after he or she turns a year old. (How’s that for a happy birthday, Mom?) Ranging from battle-of-will “No-no-no!” matches to major—and yikes, public—meltdowns, these tantrums may feel unpredictable, but they’re absolutely expected at this age. In fact, it’s not unusual for children between the ages of 18 months and two and a half years to throw three to five mini or full-blown tantrums a day; by age three, those tizzy fits may diminish significantly to just (!) two or three a week.

This trying time will pass more easily for you and your toddler once you fully understand how completely normal these tizzy fits are. Over the next seven weeks, we’ll show you:

• What’s really behind all that pouting, screaming, and crying—and why it occurs
• Ways to sidestep tantrums rather than causing them to escalate
• Do’s and don’ts for responding to meltdowns while at home and in public
• How to manage your own emotions when you feel like throwing a fit!

Your goal in embarking on the 7 Weeks to Taming Temper Tantrums course is to ultimately help your toddler learn to express anger and frustration with words rather than resorting to throwing themselves on the ground, stomping their feet, screaming, or crying in fury. Each week, we’ll demystify the developmental curiosities contributing to your child’s behaviors, offer proactive tips for squelching them, and assign a simple action plan for the following seven days that will help move you and your child to a calmer place.

You can help end your toddler’s tantrums—get started here:

Read all seven steps in this series:

• Brace Yourself for Meltdowns: Part 1 of 7
• Identify Tantrum Triggers: Part 2 of 7
• Sidestep Tantrums: Part 3 of 7
• The Do's of Taming Tantrums: Part 4 of 7
• The Don'ts of Taming Tantrums: Part 5 of 7
• Deal with Public Meltdowns: Part 6 of 7
• Manage Your Own Tantrums: Part 7 of 7