How to Stop Tantrums

In contemplating how to stop tantrums, I was struck with a thought. Toddlers can be so much fun. Ironically, it is their fierce independent streak, the one that leads to all those tantrums, that makes makes for great comedy. I remember watching my little guy refuse help for something that I knew he could not do. He wanted to do it by himself. So I let him. He tried, tried some more, and then tried even more. By this time it was obvious even to him that he could not do it, but he was still not going to ask for help. In the end, never one to quit, he decided to change what he was trying to accomplish and was able to accomplish his new goal. But I still love to think back to his tenacity and perseverance in his toddler years.

I think it is so important for parents to enjoy children at every stage. Sure, some stages are more fun than others, but find the moments of fun and humor in the less fun stage. It is good for your long-term relationship with your little one, but it is also great therapy to be able to laugh. Because we focused much more on the funny things that our kids did, now our memories are more full of the fun that we had at each stage rather than the difficulties. I don't know about you, but I am glad that I remember the funny things rather than the tantrums.

When Will My Baby Sleep Through The Night?

The question that almost all new parents ask. When will my baby sleep through the night? The frustration mounts as the sleep dwindles with what seems like no hope in sight. Take a deep breath and know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Many babies start to sleep through the night at about 6 months while others need a little encouragement to help them along in the process. As the dad of the latter, I know the frustration, the discouragement, and the stress that lack of sleep can cause in a marriage. My wife and I were cranky for the first part of our son's life.

We tried many strategies that family suggested, but none worked for our boy. We read books and tried what those strategies, but again, no success. We came to realize that the strategies the experts say will work don't work for all kids. We started looking for programs that did not take a one-size-fits-all approach. We wanted something that would fit with our style of parenting and work for our son.

Luckily, we were able to find some strategies that worked for our son. He was finally able to sleep through the night, and we started to feel like ourselves again. We were not cranky any more, and life seemed to improve almost overnight (a well slept night!). I would encourage you to find a program that will let you find what will work for your baby. A great program that is customizable and easy to use is the Baby Sleep Solution. Click Here Now to check it out!

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Treatment

What is ODD?

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior toward authority figures which goes beyond the bounds of normal childhood behavior. The defiance must persist for at least six months, negatively impact function at school, home, or the community, and cannot be caused by another disorder.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Treatment Options

The goal of all oppositional defiant disorder treatment is to extinguish the negative behaviors. The most serious behaviors, those that could harm the child or others or have other serious consequences, should be targeted first. Some common oppositional defiant disorder treatment options are family counseling, psychotherapy, social skills training, behavior therapy, and parent training programs.

Which Treatment Will Work?

This is the million dollar question! It is important to remember that all children are different and that it is impossible to say that one type of treatment will work for every child. That being said, as a rule some of the treatment options seem to be much more successful than others. Research shows that parent training programs are the most successful of the oppositional defiant disorder treatments. One reason for this seems to be the role that the parent/child relationship plays in the child's behavior.

Many times parents inadvertently reinforce the defiant behavior by giving the child attention. Granted it is negative attention, but to some children any attention is viewed as a positive, no matter the consequences. After years of these negative interactions between parent and child, a serious intervention is required. As an oppositional defiant disorder treatment, parent training is usually successful because it teaches the parents strategies to replace the negative interactions with positive experiences which can often quickly extinguish many of the negative behaviors associated with ODD.

My advice is to find a parent training program that you agree philosophically with and that will fit into your lifestyle. All children and all families are unique. It would be impossible to build a program that would work for everyone. If you want to see the review of the program that I rate highest, click here now.

2 New Articles!

You can read my two new articles on stopping tantrums. Let me know what you think!

3 Tips to Stop Temper Tantrums in Toddlers

How to Stop a Toddler Screaming at Bedtime - Four Simple Steps to a Quiet Nighty-Night!

The Best Educational Toys for Your Little One

For toddlers, check out my review of the top 5 educational toys for toddlers.

For preschoolers, check out my review of the Top 5 Vtech Educational Toys.

Looking for toys that provide enjoyment and education for your little one? If you have a preschooler or a toddler, the toys that you choose can help ready your child to start kindergarten and succeed in school. I know that when you here the words "educational toys" you think that they could not possibly be fun, but you would be surprised. Many of my son's favorite toys were educational and now we can see the benefits of those toys as he is ready to start kindergarten in the fall. I know that you might also wonder which educational toys are the good ones.

Educational toys for toddlers need to be fun, and most teach a simple concept such as cause and effect (for example, if I push a button, it lights up). This helps your child to learn that actions have reactions and that they have control over some things. Some things to watch out for in toys. If the reward (what happens when your child pushes the button) is too long, it does not teach cause and effect. The reward needs to be short, and it needs to happen every time the button is pushed. For preschoolers, toys should be fun, inspire creativity, and teach concepts that will help children to do well in school. Vtech educational toys do this very well.

To read more, I have a couple of reviews of educational toys for toddlers and Vtech educational toys for preschoolers that you don't want to miss.

Toddler Throwing Tantrums?

Whining, crying, stomping his feet, flailing on the floor, wailing at the top of his lungs, "I want ice cream!" And sadly, instead of taking his two year old home, the dad bought him ice cream. This was what I saw at the store last night that led to my decision to write an article on Toddlers Throwing Tantrums. Click Here to check it out.

Love Your Kid

The most important thing that you can do as a parent is to love your kid. Tell him that you love him for who he is, not what he does. A young child should not have to deal with the pressure of having to perform in order to earn your love. In the classroom, I see kids who are terrified if they do not do well on a spelling test because they do not want to disappoint their parents. I am all for having high expectations and setting high standards, but make sure that your kid knows that you love him no matter what.

While speaking of expectations, know that whatever expectations you communicate to your kids will probably come true. Young children believe their parents. If you call him a dummy, chances are he will go out of his way to prove you right. If you show him that you do not think he is capable by doing everything for him, he will again meet your expectations. However, by telling him that he is smart, good, funny, loved, etc. you enable him to do so much more.