If you are a parent it is most likely you have been in the situation where your toddler just refuses to eat or do something. Having a fussy toddler is nothing new, they are new to this world and have no idea what they like and don’t like yet. Maybe feeding time has become more of a food fight or nap time has become play time; whatever your issue you are most definitely not alone. Every single parent is going to go through one form of fussy or another during the formative years, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Toddlers are fussy for a variety of reasons, but they most likely won’t make any sense to the average person. Your goal in handling this is to try to help them to let you know what is wrong. Communication is going to be difficult for your little one and they are going to need some help figuring it all out. Have some patience and work with them to identify what the issues are and it will make life much less noisy and cranky.
If you are struggling with a moody or fussy child, continue reading for some advice on what to do.
Understand The Drama
Kids are well documented to have frequent and puzzling mood changes. Your toddler could be as happy as Larry playing away one minute and then instantly act like they’ve been told their puppy just died. None of this seems to make any sense to us, but you can try to understand these mood swings. A lot of the time your child promptly switches to screaming and crying is because they have no other way to tell you that they need something. They have seen that it has gotten your attention in the past so this is going to be their go-to move. Your goal is to keep track of what it is that helped fix it before and keep on top of those particular needs.
Plan, Plan, And Plan Some More
One of the best ways to keep your little one happy and healthy is to keep them on a very strict schedule. Toddlers need to sleep and eat a lot more frequently than the average person and you need to plan ahead for this. Try to keep them on a schedule for naps and feedings seven days a week. Things aren’t always going to work out perfectly but try your best to keep to the same time schedule every single day. Keeping them properly fed and rested will keep them from overreacting to simply being hungry or tired.
It’s Developmental, Baby!
Toddlers are in the very early stages of cognitive and social development and are going to struggle to understand certain things and to communicate clearly. If this is the reason for your little one’s mood swings your biggest tool is going to be patience plain and simple. Parenting takes patience at the best of times and this stage is going to require something extra. Do your best to learn how your toddler is trying to communicate with you, stay patient, and eventually, you two will be on the same page.
Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff We know that raising kids can be full of joys and frustrations. Every day can be a struggle to get the simplest tasks completed amidst a temper tantrum or confusing mood swing. Just keep in mind your toddler is going to require a lot of extra effort on your end to understand what is causing it. Keep your wits about you, ask for help from people with first-hand experience, and don’t overthink anything. Follow our advice and your next temper tantrum may be the turning point for better communication. t-hand e