The Tantrum Survival Guide Tune In to Your Toddler's Mind (and Your Own) to Calm the Craziness and Make Family Fun Again

by Hershberg, Rebecca Schrag; Siegel, Daniel J.

• ISBN13: 9781462529711
• ISBN10: 1462529712
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2018-10-12
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

If you are the parent of a toddler or preschooler, chances are you know a thing or two about tantrums. While those epic meltdowns can certainly be part of "normal" toddler behavior, they are still maddening, stressful, and exhausting--for everyone involved. What can you do to keep your cool and help your child calm down? Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, child psychologist and mother of two, has a unique understanding of both the science behind tantrums and what works in the heat of the moment to nip blowups in the bud. With her customizable plan, you'll learn:

*Why your toddler's developing brain is hardwired for "big emotions."
*What you may be doing (unintentionally) to encourage outbursts.
*Ways to use structure and routines to help your child feel secure.
*How to reduce tantrums at tough times of day, from wake-up to bedtime.
*Strategies for managing tantrums under difficult circumstances, from travel to moving to divorce.
*Ways to deepen your parent–child connection--starting right now.

A Greater Good Favorite Parenting Book of 2018

Author Biography

Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and founder of Little House Calls Psychological Services, which specializes in helping kids and parents confronting a range of common early childhood challenges. Dr. Hershberg has held leadership positions at a national nonprofit organization serving children and a hospital-based infant and toddler preventive mental health program, has taught in the Department of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and has presented numerous seminars and workshops for parents. She lives in the New York City area with her husband and two young sons.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. “You Haven’t Seen a Tantrum Until You’ve Seen My Toddler’s Tantrums”: When Should You Worry?
2. “Really? This Is What You’re Going to Melt Down Over?”: Understanding Causes and Triggers
3. “What’s Going On in That Curious Little Mind?”: Being Realistic about the Limitations of the Developing Brain
4. “Why Can’t I Handle This?”: Parental Expectations, Baggage, and Emotions
5. “Maybe If Things Were Just a Bit Less Crazy on the Home Front . . .”: Family Dynamics and the Foundation for Reducing Tantrums
6. “Of Course You’ll Always Be My Sweet Little Baby (Except Possibly When You Pee in the Bath on Purpose)”: Preserving the Authentic Connection with Your Toddler
7. “Who’s Making the Rules Here?”: Using Reasonable Structures and Routines to Help Your Toddler Feel Secure
8. “OK. But. Now. What. Exactly. Should. I. Do?”: Practical Strategies for Preventing and Deescalating Tantrums
9. “Am I Making Things Worse?”: Concrete Ways to Avoid Knee-Jerk Responses and Other “Anti-Tools” That Just Don’t Work
10. “Please Just Go to Sleep, Already!”: How to Reduce Tantrums at Tough Times of Day, from Wake-Up to Bedtime
11. “Another Aborted Trip to the Supermarket (a.k.a. How Many Times Can We Order Pizza for Dinner?)”: How to Reduce Tantrums in Tricky Settings, from the Big-Box Store to the Playground and Beyond
12. “A Tantrum Is Quite Possibly the Last Thing I Need Right Now”: How to Reduce Tantrums under Difficult Circumstances, from Travel to Moving to Divorce
Resources