Riding out tantrums
What it is
Tantrums peak between 18 months and 3 years. They are a nervous system overflowing, not manipulation.
Start preparing
- Stay nearby and quiet. Explaining, bargaining and threatening all pour fuel on it.
- Name the feeling once — 'you really wanted the blue cup' — and then stop talking.
- Keep the limit where it was. Changing your answer mid-tantrum teaches that tantrums work.
- Repair afterwards with a hug and a normal voice; no lecture, no punishment.
- Prevent the predictable ones: hunger, tiredness, and transitions with no warning.
When to check with a professional
Tantrums that regularly last over 25 minutes, happen many times a day past age 4, or involve hurting themselves or others are worth raising with the Tipat Halav nurse or your doctor.
Sources
- Bright Futures periodicity schedule — American Academy of Pediatrics
- Tipat Halav visit programme — Israel Ministry of Health
Compiled with AI assistance from the public sources listed above. Not yet reviewed by a clinician — check anything important against the source, with Tipat Halav or with your doctor.