Who would have thought that a child having a tantrum is a good thing?

Many understand the meaning of tantrum as a display of bad temper and outburst of anger alone. If you are like me, you want your child to always be happy; smiling and laughing every time. As much as we wish for that, it is very rare to see children who are like that.

You most likely feel helpless when you see your child throwing himself on the floor screaming and kicking. Well, as bad it may look, that action is actually healthy for your child.

We are not here to look at tantrums definition but learning the importance of tantrums to your child’s life will help you stay calm in the face of them.

Reasons having a tantrum is good for your child:

1. Better focus

When a child is stuck with learning something, he usually expresses his frustration by crying or throwing tantrums. Such tantrums help him to clear his head and get him to relax afterward. If the child tries again, studies show that he will do better at it.

Most times, emotional issues block kids from learning. Once this is released through a tantrum or the shedding of tears, the child learns better.

2. Better sleep and well-being

Research has shown that when children are allowed to have and end their tantrums themselves that it improves their emotional well-being. Children also go through stress and worrisome situations in their lives. Crying is their way of letting it out and once it is out, they will be able to sleep better through the night.

You don’t want your child to have those sleepy hollow eyes from sleepless nights. In fact, some moms complain that their kids are suffering from insomnia. Tears contain the stress hormone known as cortisol.
When kids and adults cry, they release this stress.

Tears are good for lowering blood pressure. Have you ever felt better after crying? The same thing is happening to your child. So, the next time he is having a tantrum, allow him to get to the end of it. He will surely sleep better afterward.

3. Proper brain development

Apart from the fact that it helps kids (and adults) clear their emotions, it also helps with brain development in children.

A child’s brain keeps developing and goes through various brain development stages and so when he is crying, it is actually helping his brain develop. Just ensure that if your child is having a tantrum, that it is for a good reason, and not out of neglect, hunger or other issues.

4. Teaches your child some discipline

Many times, when children have tantrums, it is usually because they did not have their way with what they wanted. As a mother, when you say no to your child and stand by it, the child may likely throw tantrums.
This should not bother you so much because you are teaching him an important aspect of life. He cannot always have his way, especially if it is something that may harm him or is unhealthy for his health.

No matter how much you love your child, you will not give him ice cream every minute simply because he is crying for more.

When your child starts throwing tantrums because you said no, allow him to learn through it that he cannot always have his way. And that it is alright for mummy to say no. This is called child discipline.

5. Bonds him closer to you

The first time my son had a tantrum, I did not really get it. We were at the park, then came back home, everything was fine. When we entered our place and I closed the door, he threw himself on the floor. I believe he just realized that the afternoon out at the park was over and he did not want it to end so he started screaming and kicking. At the time, he did not know how to properly speak but he certainly was not happy.

I had another situation where I said no to my boy and he started throwing tantrums. He was often having his way with me, but this time around I stood my ground. As expected, he started throwing tantrums, kicking and wailing on top of his voice. I was moved to reach out to pacify him, but I resisted the urge. When he was done with the tantrum, I reached out for him and he speedily rushed into my arms.

I noticed something with that incident. He was scared that I had withdrawn from him when I refused to notice his tantrum. So, when I finally reached out for him, he was quick to accept the new opportunity to get close to me.

Allow them to have tantrums as it will most likely bond you two together.

6. Helps to mold your child’s behavior

Instead of bottling up emotions like anger, aggression, denial and other social vices, tantrum helps your child to let them out.

These emotions can get in the way of your child’s development if not tackled on time. A tantrum helps him become more cooperative and accepting of others as well as things that are out of his control.

It is just part of their development. The most important is for you to stay calm during that time, not scream though it is not easy and you may feel helpless.

What do you do about tantrums? Do you feel they are healthy or indicators of poor parenting?

For more positive parenting tips, read How to Connect with Your Child