-
Blog
Is your child ready to start attending daycare in the Surrey area? Like any parent, you want your child to have fun and make friends. If you find yourself looking for daycare in South Surrey for your child but are concerned about those tricky toddler tantrums, read on for some helpful ways to calm a tantrumming toddler and prepare them to self-regulate and build friendships in a daycare setting.
Sometimes doing nothing is the best something
Too often, when faced with a problem, we start solving it right away and don’t spend enough time sitting with the problem to figure out where it came from. Children have a huge capacity for emotions, but what they lack is the ability to consistently manage these feelings. Daycare can be a very exciting place, but it can also be a busy place with a lot of stimuli. When children feel overwhelmed, their emotions can overtake them leading to tantrums. If you’re on the hunt for daycare in South Surrey, look for daycares that offer both exciting and calm spaces within the play area. Simply offering space for your child to feel these big feelings, process them, and eventually let them go is one of the most effective ways to help. Trying to problem solve too quickly will only overwhelm your child even further. Sitting with them quietly and offering an example of calm breathing can be one of the quickest ways to end a tantrum.
Make a connection
Much like adults, children just want to be understood. We all have ideas for how we want our day to go. When these ideas aren’t accepted by others, it can be very frustrating. Fortunately, as adults, we have the language to express these frustrations and the creativity to pivot. In a dynamic atmosphere like daycare, your child will have the chance to interact with a variety of peers who also have their ideas. While this is an important part of learning to work with others, it’s also an environment ripe for tantrums. Once you have helped your child calm down, an important next step is to connect with them by offering validation. Acknowledge what frustrated them and offer empathy. Listening to your child is a simple way to encourage them to name their feelings, so they are more recognizable and less overwhelming in the future. If you’re deciding on daycare in South Surrey, consider the number of staff available to connect with your child if they’re feeling frustrated and just need to be heard.
Problem-solve through redirection
Once the dust has settled, problem-solving can begin. This process doesn’t need to be overly complicated. Start by asking your child how they might do things differently if the problem were to happen again. If they’re struggling, gently offer some ideas. A great way to encourage your child to be flexible and solve confrontations is to show them how to redirect themselves when their emotions are looming large. Strategies like walking away, finding a different activity, or seeking help from an adult are all simple ways we can encourage our kids to self-regulate or self-advocate when they feel frustration building.
If you live or work in the South Surrey area and are getting your child ready for daycare in South Surrey, remember that preparing your child for a daycare setting involves more than just picking out the right backpack. Luckily, much of the work is already taking place just by being a loving parent. Continuing to support their self-regulation skills and choosing a daycare that does the same is the best way to help your child build friendships and thrive in peer settings.