Tantrums

abbie612

When do you start to worry about tantrums?  DS has been having such MAJOR ones lately, and tells me he is angry afterwards.  I'm used to 'normal' tantrums, but he goes berserk - screaming like he's being tortured, crying for 30 minutes, just completely flipping out.  He has always been sensitive, but days like today make me wonder if it's something more.  I'm not sure what else it would be, I know 3 is a tough age, but he blew my mind with today's tantrum.  

With that in mind, any specific suggestions for ME to help him?  Any good book recs?  I don't always have the longest fuse and don't think I have the best strategies for helping him, so I'd love to learn some new ways to help.   

HarrietNJMommy

I have no idea, but my 4 and 5 year olds still have major tantrums......I'm not worried, and neither is my ped.......

You can try "showing" him by example how you handle your frustrations. Like, forget your keys somewhere and act out how to solve the problem. Things like this should help.

GL! and hang in there! 

jlw2505

Tantrums are very normal at age 3 and they can be crazy and last a long time especially if you give him attention for them.  Tantrums should start to disappear or at least get less severe at age 4 and really by age 5, you should see them way, way less.  I know all this as my 5 year old is about a year behind due to a brain injury and we are just now starting to move past the major tantrum stage and my 3 year old is in it although she is nowhere near where her sister was with tantrums.  I have spoken to many child specialists about the behavior due to my older DD.  2 amazing books that I use all the time are Love and Logic and 1 2 3 Magic.  I use them together, taking the bits and pieces from both that work great with my kids.  My kids hate when I count so I rarely get past 1 before they are doing what has been asked.