Temper Tantrums
Tantrums are a normal and healthy part of the developing process for children. They are sometimes the only way a little one can tell us they disagree, feel frustrated, are tired or hungry or overwhelmed or bored. Their language skills and understanding of feelings and relationships have not developed to the point where intense feelings can be expressed in more acceptable ways. Tantrums first appear at about 1 year of age and usually ease up by age 6.
The root of most tantrums in young children is frustration. A young child does not have the maturity, insight or life experiences to keep life’s frustrations in perspective. Any frustrating event, no matter how trivial (in our eyes) can take on gigantic proportions in a child’s eyes resulting in a temper tantrum.