1-Reflective Prompt

1- When children have tantrums or challenging behaviors, it can bring up feelings about the behavior and the child.  Growing up, we were taught about appropriate and inappropriate behaviors within our families.  Those values, perceptions and beliefs follow us throughout our lives.  In a classroom, it is important for us to be able to acknowledge our feelings within ourselves and then move forward in supporting the child.  

What behaviors “push your buttons”?  When a child is doing a behavior that is “pushing your buttons”, how are you feeling?  How do you think you can acknowledge your feelings and then proceed to support the child?

75 words and up 

2-Discussion 10

Tantrums are a typical part of a child’s development.  When children are having a behavior that we may not think is appropriate, we should stop and think, “What are they trying to communicate to me?”  Behavior is communication.  Infants and toddlers do not always have the language or the ability to express what they are feeling with words or appropriate behaviors.  As their caregivers, we need to come up with ways to support children during these moments and ways to support how they learn to regulate.

What is a child experiencing when he or she is having a tantrum? How do you usually handler toddler tantrums? What would you do to support a child who is having a tantrum and help the child learn new ways to express emotions?