I’m a child expert – the 2 second hack to stop your toddler having a meltdown, and it works every time
ANY parents knows how exhausting and hopeless it can feel when your little one is having a meltdown.
No matter what it’s over, those big emotions can be hard to get under control for toddlers, but a child expert has revealed the simple trick to help put them at ease.
Posting on TiKTok, Dr Chelsey Hauge-Zavaleta responded to one mum’s trick for stopping a meltdown in it’s tracks and explained why it works so well.
The mum, said when her daughter was having a tantrum she simply reacted not with words, but with a shocked facial expression.
“You know what that does to a kid in a meltdown?” Dr Chelsey said in reaction to the hack.
According to the pro, it helps the child feel understood without over complicating the situation with words.
The exaggerated facial expression lets little ones know their parents mirror their emotions, which can be all they need to move on from the meltdown, she explained.
“I’m not surprised that when you didn’t layer language and you didn’t yell and you just gave a face like ‘oh my god, this is so hard’, your kid could process the meltdown,” Chelsey revealed.
It all comes down to giving them “an opportunity to be reflected”, she added.
Other parents agreed the easy hack can work wonders mid temper tantrum.
One commented on the viral clip: “Mirroring is so incredibly powerful.”
“Every time I make this face [my daughter] starts laughing and the meltdown is averted,” another mum wrote.
“Is this why my son doesn’t have any wild meltdowns? I mirror his expressions all the time and I feel like he doesn’t have any insane meltdowns,” a third said.
“Because of this video I did this with my four-year-old and it worked, another said.
“She started giggling and telling her brothers to ‘come help fix mummy’.”
What is a temper tantrum?
Usually starting at around 18 months, temper tantrums are very common for toddlers.
One of the reasons for these meltdowns is because they want to express themselves but don’t have the necessary skills to do so yet and this frustration comes out as a tandrum.
It’s also why temper tantrums tend to happen less often once a child can talk, according to the NHS.
How to stop temper tantrums
Find out why the tantrum is happening:
There are many reasons your child may have a tantrum, it could be as simple as them being tired or hungry.
They could also be feeling jealous, or just need attention and love.
Find a distraction:
If you think your child is starting a tantrum, finding something to distract them with straight away can help.
This could be a toy, or something you see out the window, like a dog or a flower.
Be prepared when you’re out shopping:
A parents know, many tantrums happen in shops and it can be hard to keep your cool.
Keeping shopping trips as short as possible can help, as well as involving your child in the shopping by talking about what you need and letting them help you.