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Supriya Ramesh • 28 Nov 2024
Child Tantrums Can Break Parents: The Hidden Mental Health Toll
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Dealing with the tantrums of a child becomes overwhelming for parents because a cycle of stress that is created affects their mental well-being. Though the child's tantrums are a normal part of child development, the emotional and physical demands of managing these outbursts may leave parents feeling drained and frustrated, even helpless.
Such pressure often makes parents guilty or doubtful of themselves because they cannot respond to a tantrum "the right way." Repeated exposure to a child's high-intensity emotions may even cause anxiety, exhaustion, and depression, especially if there are other tasks, such as work or household chores, which one must attend to. The result may be emotional and physical fatigue that will make it harder to remain patient.
Emotional Strain on Parents
The tantrums can also instill feelings of failure and incompetence in parents who feel that it is a reflection of their parenting capabilities. The episodes are also inherently unpredictable, leading to chronic stress that is not only hard to relax with at times but also creates irritability or detachment over time.
Positive Coping Strategies
To fight these challenges, parents should prioritise their mental health. Setting up a family network of friends or parent groups may help share experiences and provide advisory roles. Mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or journalling can help maintain a parent's composure even during tantrums.
Parenting classes or workshops could also prepare parents with proper techniques on how to handle difficult behaviours. One can learn what usually triggers tantrums and understand proper communication and boundaries with a child to reduce some of the stress. Most importantly, self-compassion is crucial to remind parents that managing tantrums is a skill that develops over time.
If the emotional strain gets too heavy, seeking professional counselling with a therapist or counsellor will help find long-term solutions for coping. Addressing parental mental health is not only healthy for children but will give them the strength to confront situations with greater confidence.
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