Tantrums - what do you do?

[Now we're 3]

Well they've started ........... the tantrums! One thing I can say for certain is there is nothing wrong with his vocal chords or lungs at present - lol!

Our little man has just started to throw them if he doesn't get his own way and just wondering what others who have travelled this road before us have done. DS is 19 months old and in general is happy go lucky little chap. However he is quite determined and is now letting us know in no uncertain terms if he is not happy with what we are trying to either stop him doing to get him to do!.

We get the screaming, the tears, the hitting, the pushing away of your hands, the throwing of himself on the floor and the arching and wriggling if he is your arms and the smacking away of anything you give him to try to distract him. All of which I would assume is fairly standard tantrum behaviour? Would also assume that is fairly standard behaviour for his age.

Depending on what he does I mainly try to just speak softly and calmly to him and also try to distract him with something that will normally make him laugh - this little piggie sometimes works

What other wonderful tricks does anyone else have that have worked for mini meltdowns?

TIA

[onthefly]

Distraction and removal are often all you can do at this age - he might be getting to a 'reasoning' age, depending on the child though it can take a while longer.
I would also consider whether he's tired or hungry. Low blood sugar always sets my DS off. It's amazing what a difference one mouthful of food can make.
But yeah, it's pretty normal

[helle]

At home we get up and walk away and let him scream it out. He's usually over it within seconds.
Out and about it's distraction

Aren't they fun

[Jennie13]

just subbing my DD is 15months and can throw some spectacular tantys I have no idea what to do, just to ignore her completely or what!?! I dreading terrible two's.....tho I doubt wether she can get much worse lol

[Kazzo]

So far DD1 has only had a few tantrums. I ignore her if I can see she is just looking for a response.
I have started singing her favorite song. If she keeps going Once I actually screamed back at her the way she was screaming and she cracked up laughing.
We have not had a big tantrum while out yet so can't help there, but I guess I would still treat her the same as if I were at home. One thing my DD1 knows is that I have a lot of patience and can wait out any tantrum she can throw.

[LizLemon]

At home we get up and walk away and let him scream it out. He's usually over it within seconds.
Out and about it's distraction

Aren't they fun

Yep, what Helle said. We just completely ignore and he now knows it gets him nowhere. If I'm at the shops or something I always have a list of things in my head applicable to where we are, like "Let's go get some bananas" etc.

[beckoes]

normally dd only has them when she is tired/hungry/sick but we will pick her up and normally go outside or another room. talk softly about something random....''do you remember that cat we saw the other day, can you remember what colour it was, what shall we have for dinner'' normally that works, dh is better at it than me, he can go out the door with her SCREAMING and come back in giggling!

if its a bad one, for attention, and im on my own, il move away from her , tell her when she has stopped she can come join in with what im doin and start playing on my own. doesnt normally take long!

good luck, hope it passes soon.