What is a meltdown?
A meltdown is a period of explosive and uncontrolled negative emotions. Studies, using careful observation of toddlers and parent interviews show that these meltdowns are not just one emotion. Most often meltdowns are a short burst of anger followed by a longer period of sadness or despair. Unpacking the specific emotions in a meltdown is a parenting gift. This is because it gives you a chance to help ‘organize’ and label these feelings for your toddler. Therefore, this is the beginning of your child’s emotional literacy. If we can label, articulate, and manage our emotions appropriately, we have significantly better life-long wellbeing and much lower chances of mental health problems.
How can I best manage a meltdown?
All very well you might say, I get it but what exactly should I do? This three-step plan will help your little one find calm more quickly, and form an investment in their emotional literacy skills.