Meltdowns and how to stop them!!!?

Question

My one year old son has started having complete 'meltdowns' when he doesn't get his way. Anything from having an item taking away (like if it is dangerous, or not appropriate for him) to wanting to go outside when it's not a good time to go outside (raining etc,).

Does anyone have any tips to help deal with these 'meltdowns' and teach him better ways to deal with his frustration?? We try to aviod the situations as much as possible, but when they happen, he's unbearable! He screams, yells, throws himself on the floor and sometimes bites!!!! HELP!

Answer 1

Completely normal for this age. Stand over him and tell him, "when you are finished throwing a fit,  you may join us in (whatever it is you want him to do)." and walk away. Everyone just ignore him. The only time my daughter's tantrums last more than a second is when someone thinks they can console her. When they do, she just screams louder, bucks harder, and cries more. When we ignore her she realizes that she doesn't have an audience and therefore isn't going to get what she wants.

Only time I don't do that is in public, then we just get up and leave.

Answer 2

He's having the meltdown because he hopes that if he throws a large enough tantrum you will give in and give him what he wants. When he throws himself on the floor, let him stay there and cry. When he bites, tell him NO and put him in his room and give him no attention.

Answer 3

The others are right, ignore the outbursts. It may take awhile for them to go away, but it is the only thing that works.

The best way to deal with frustration is to let it out, cry it out. you don't want him to bottle it all up. As he gets older, you can teach him different ways to expend his energy. But at this age, tantrums are done for attention or to get something. so just let it go for now.

Answer 4

when my daughter does this i just simply ignore her.  i mean i leave the room and completely disappear until she calms down.  i tell her that im not going to be around her when she acts like that.  she wants to be around me so much that she is starting to realize that mommy wont be around when she has a tantrum

as far as the biting, my nephew did this to no end.  i finally bit him back.  when he told me it hurt, i explained to him that it hurts when he bites too.  he never bit anyone again.

Answer 5

Throw water on him, it worked on me!