The Terrible Two's + The Threatening Three's...

...means tantrums galore - lucky me!

Dealing with tantrums is a normal part of the parenting experience (despite what your Mother might tell you!) They come out of nowhere and leave you exhausted, which is one of the reasons they're so frustrating. And what's worse is that the smallest of things can trigger them.

But how to deal with a tantrum when it happens?

Well, i've done a little research and most sources are saying the same thing:

AVOID, DISTRACT, IGNORE, WALK AWAY

So, first try and avoid what might trigger your child to have a tantrum in the first place, tiredness and hunger are two common ones. If and when it does happen, try and distract your child by pointing out something new and interesting, be enthusiastic - even if you have to make it up! Try and ignore your childs testing behaviour, they are most likely going to 'feed' from your reaction, so to shout and scream back at them would only elevate the situation for both of you. And if all else fails, walk away - providing it's safe to do so - because nothing's worse than a performance without an audience.