Meltdown vs tantrum
The weather was gloomy and it started to downpour, backing up traffic all across town– why did you decide to go out today? To avoid the traffic, you chose to stop at the mall and wait out the storm. You needed to run a few errands around town, so you handed him a granola bar and rushed him out the door. You’re at the mall with your five-year-old son.Īfter a sleepless night spent tending to his scary dreams, the two of you had a hard time getting going this morning.
Note: Looking for more helpful parenting resources? Be sure to check out my list of Best Parenting Books: Top Picks for 2021. Understanding where the tantrum stems from will help you handle the situation appropriately. When your child has a tantrum, you can determine the type based on which portion of their brain is in use–the upstairs or downstairs. The upstairs portion of the brain–responsible for higher-thinking and impulse control–takes much longer to construct. Just like a house under construction, the downstairs portion of their brain–responsible for emotion and decision-making–is developed first. This makes a lot of sense when it comes to how your child’s brain is wired. Even though the upstairs and downstairs portions are both parts of the same whole, they have vastly different purposes. Siegel’s and Tina Payne Bryson’s book, The Whole-Brain Child, they bring forth the notion that the human brain–particularly a child’s–is like a two-story house. Our brains operate in much the same way, with both an upstairs and a downstairs component. Progress starts from the ground level, with each layer being built upon the one before it. You don’t have to be a world-class architect to know that every worthwhile home must be built on a solid foundation. Think of it like a house… The Whole-Brain Child Science actually tells us that there are two very different, yet very specific types of tantrums that are determined by which area of the brain is firing at the time. She has to learn that this kind of bratty behavior will not be tolerated anymore.īut is it truly bratty behavior? Is your daughter just trying to manipulate you into letting her wear the outfit she wants–maybe even skip school?īelieve it or not, not all tantrums are created equal. You’ve had enough of these outbursts and want nothing more than to walk away, slamming the door behind you.
MELTDOWN VS TANTRUM FREE
Frustrated parents from all walks of life have called out for help, which is why we created this FREE PARENTING WEBINAR- to help parents stay calm in exhausting situations just like this.Īs your own temper starts to rise you fight the urge to scream back at her. Oh friend, I know where you are because I have been there myself. She grabs a handful of clean clothes and throws them across the room, then sits on the floor in defiance, her face red with anger. You take a deep breath and watch as the tantrum unfolds.
“But I want to wear it!” she yells, stomping her foot on the ground. You want her to be independent, so you allow her to pick out her own clothes, but lately it just feels like one power struggle after another. “I’m sorry sweetie, but it’s in the wash. “I want to wear my pink polka-dot shirt!” she wails. It’s 8 AM on a busy Monday morning and, once again, you are late for school drop-off because your six-year-old daughter is refusing to get dressed.
MELTDOWN VS TANTRUM HOW TO
Two Types of Tantrums: How to Tell the Difference