Every mom gets frustrated and impatient. Every kid has tantrums and meltdowns. If anyone ever tells you otherwise, they’re lying.
Being in a bad mood doesn’t make you a bad mom and it doesn’t make kids bad kids. But, it might mean a bad, bad day, if we don’t do anything to change it around.
(I have to add, bad days are inevitable, sometimes nothing we do works, and that’s okay.)
Here are some of my best tips for being a patient mom and dealing with all of the tantrums and mood swings. It takes a lot of intention and motivation, and some days it’s easier than others to implement these tactics.
Some days, the best I can do is survive and keep my toddler alive without losing it completely. But, on most days, I can easily use these hacks to stay upbeat and change the mood of my house around.
Our toddlers and kids FEED off of our energy and mood. If we respond to their grumpiness with anger, it tends to only make it worse.
If we can help teach them how to turn the day around and change our mindset, we can help them develop long-term skills!
Acknowledge their feelings and frustrations, talk to them about them and then try one of these mood-boosting tactics.
How to Deal with Tantrums and Bad Moods
Play Fun Music
Turn on some fun music and have a dance party! Even if they don’t start dancing right away, it’ll definitely pump you up and release some endorphins! Chances are, they’ll jump in too or laugh at how silly you seem.
Pick them up, and dance with them. Run, jump and do all the silly things to entertain them. This is one of my son’s favorite things and almost always puts a smile on his grumpy little face!
I play music on my Alexa in our kitchen all the time! You could also play some on a SmartTV, the radio or just off of your phone or computer.
Be Their Biggest Cheerleader
Cheer them on when they do even the smallest positive thing! Say thank you when they do something helpful (or refrain from doing something they shouldn’t do).
Make your home a fun, positive and safe place, and let them know how proud you are of them, even if they’re in a bad mood some days.
Give Them a Challenge!
Tell them to run around the kitchen island as fast as they can while you time them. Or challenge them to do something else they love to do. Cheer them on the whole time and pump them up!
Offer Food
Make sure they aren’t hungry, because hangry kids are even harder to deal with. Offer them a healthy, fueling snack that they’ll enjoy and some water. Nine times out of ten, this turns my toddler’s mood right around.
For some reason, I always underestimate the power of food. I start getting really frustrated with the tantrums and bad mood, and then it usually hits me… he’s probably just hungry!
Change the Scenery
- Move to a new room or space in your house
- Have a fun bath time
- Go to the park
- Play in the backyard
- Go for a walk
- Visit someone they love at work
Provide Positive Distractions
Make something else seem more exciting than whatever they’re upset about. Be excited about something new or a different activity. Show them how fun it is or what’s cool about it.
Play a Fun Game with Them
You can chase them around the house or backyard, play tag or even have a tickle fight! If they’re older, you could play a kids’ game or an imaginary game.
Spend some quality time with them, because they are probably just craving some Mom-time.
Put them down for a nap
When all else fails, consider putting them down for a nap. If they don’t nap anymore, do some quiet time alone in their room to reset and rest. (Or at least to give yourself a break to reset and recompose yourself for the rest of the day).
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