How to Deal with a Toddler's Tantrums in a Small House
Establishing a "No Whine Zone" Can Save Your Sanity
What works for me: a "no whine zone"
Since I live in a one-floor ranch house, sounds carry easily. A small house coupled with a vaulted ceiling often leaves me feeling that my house was designed to enhance sound, not diminish it. In order to achieve some semblance of sanity, my husband and I have taught our children that if they need to have a tantrum and cry, then they need to do it in their room.
One day, my friend stopped by for a visit with her four children. Chaos ensued and it wasn't long before my preschooler suddenly took off screaming and running for his room to have a temper tantrum. He returned a few minutes later smiling happily as if nothing had happened. A short time later, he ran back into his room for another short outburst and then came back out to join the other children in playing. This scene repeated several times over an hour's time. My friend, finding his antics hilarious, burst out laughing and then asked me why he kept doing that.
We shared a chuckle as I explained that the noise of screaming and crying kids was just too much for us with the way the house was laid out. The only way to maintain our sanity was to establish a "no whine zone" and tell both of our children that they while they were entitled to feel frustrated and cry, they needed to do it in their bedrooms away from everyone else. Once our children calmed down and finished their tantrum, they were allowed to rejoin the rest of the family in the living area. The "no whine zone" rule is strictly enforced and our children's tantrums generally don't last long without an audience.
Sources:
Personal Experience
Published by Carly Hart
One of AC's Top 1000 Content Producers, Carly Hart's interests include news, politics, parenting, frugal living and consumer related issues. A Featured Contributor in the Shopping and Fashion category, she... View profile
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- Establishing a "no whine zone" is key to maintaining sanity in a small house.
- Tantrums must happen in their room, so as not to disturb everyone else.
- Our children know they are entitled to their feelings.
5 Comments
Post a Commentmy older two were never bad for tantrums and fits, but the little one is going to kill us I think before she gets out of this stage!
LOL ... now, if I could get my teen to do that ...
Great idea. I remember one meal where a sibling's child was wailing at the table and another was crying loudly in their room and I didn't think my nerves could survive the chaos!
Funny! We live in a tiny house. I don't think there is anywhere my kids could go without being heard!
When my son was four he spent a lot of time in the corner for tantrums. That worked for us.