Temper Tantrum among Children

A temper tantrum is an emotional outburst, usually associated with children or those in emotional distress, that is typically characterized by stubbornness, crying, screaming, defiance, anger ranting, a resistance to attempts at pacification and, in some cases, hitting. Physical control may be lost; the person may be unable to remain still; and even if the "goal" of the person is met, he or she may not be calmed. A tantrum may be expressed in a tirade a protracted, angry, or violent speech. Tantrums are one of the most common forms of problematic behavior in young children, but tend to decrease in frequency and intensity as the child grows older. For the toddler, tantrums can be considered as normal, even as gauges of a developing strength of character. While tantrums are sometimes seen as a predictor of future anti-social behavior in another sense they are simply an age-appropriate sign of excessive frustration, and will diminish over time given a calm and consistent handling. Parental containment where a child cannot contain itself - rather than what the child is ostensibly demanding - may be what is really required. By learning self-control, kids can make appropriate decisions and respond to stressful situations in ways that can yield positive outcomes. Other ways to discipline kids effectively include using timeouts, withholding privileges, modeling appropriate behavior (like self-control), and helping kids understand the connection between actions and consequences.