Why do toddlers cry? Well that's a very good question. When your
baby becomes a toddler, different things will make her cry
depending on how much sleep she has had, whether she is hungry, is
she in a grumpy mood, in fact just about anything may set off the
crying. She may be frustrated because she wants to do something she
can't …or you won't let her. It's best to try and address the
problem before things spiral out of control. Offering a positive
alternative or distraction can head the tears off at the pass and
help them to move onto another thought or activity without any
fuss.
Try not to disregard their feelings, they are very real to them
and they are learning how to cope in different situations and they
need your help to do this.
She may even have tantrums. Temper tantrums can be very
upsetting to watch, and they can make you angry, too. But think
about what it might be like to be a toddler.
Your Toddler's feelings
When you are somewhere between one and two, trying to make sense
of the world can be very overwhelming. You develop very strong
feelings but don't have the words to express them yet. Other people
are bigger and stronger than you are, and they can make you do
things you don't want to do, like stop drawing on the walls with
that permanent marker mum accidentally left on the side. Every day,
things happen which you don't understand, and you haven't got the
ability to work them out yet. You can imagine that you may feel a
little out of control in this situation.
When you're little like this, you may want something a lot, and
sometimes you can have it, and sometimes you can't. Or, you want to
touch something, or play with something that looks interesting -
and yet other people won't let you. They take the interesting thing
away - yet you are old enough to know that the interesting thing
still exists.
As a child, the world is a huge and powerful place at times - and
every so often, it all gets too much. You lose control, and you
just can't stop screaming, yelling, kicking and fighting. And mum
or dad find themselves facing a full blown tantrum. If things have
already developed to this point here are a few tips on what you can
do.
- Stay calm while your toddler has the tantrum
- Make sure your toddler is safe and remove any objects that may
cause harm.
- Try to ignore it as much as possible.
- Give her a cuddle afterwards when she's calmed down and
reassure her that you love her.
- Never ever give in to a tantrum - if you've said no, you must
mean it.