8 Ways To Tame Your Child’s Public Tantrums

1. Is “time-out” or the “naughty stool” a good way to help my child reflect, so they learn from a mistake?

2. It’s embarrassing to discipline my child in public. Are there any tips?

3. Unless I give in to his demands in a shop, my preschooler will not calm down. Nothing can stop him from going hysterical.

4. Older relatives warn me I will spoil my child if I spare the rod. Others say caning a child simply teaches him to use violence.

5. My 10-year-old doesn’t react well to a time-out. She stays mad for days and I end up having to take the first step to mend the relationship. What should I do?

Shelly: Time-outs only work on younger kids and toddlers – because they dislike being away from a parent. For older kids, removing privileges works better, like taking away TV time in the evening or not allowing the use of the iPad. This discipline technique works best if the privilege relates to the behaviour and it is something the child values. With this, you can expect her to take the initiative to make good with you instead of the other way around.

6. I often praise my five-year-old for doing something good. Will she get too complacent and expect to be rewarded all the time?

Jasmine: You can motivate good behaviour with reward, but the reward needs to be logically connected to the behaviour. So giving your child chocolate for tidying her room is not as useful as allowing her to watch some TV and relax after she puts her toys away. But the best way is to tell her how proud you are that she’s chosen to be helpful. Tell her, "You’ve put away your toys nicely. You’ve done such a wonderful job keeping your room neat and that helps Mummy too. So thank you!"

(Photo: Giphy)

7. I can't get him to eat right, they have such extreme food preferences!

"Your kids don’t eat vegetables? You haven’t raised them right!" said a friend. My kids love a food one day, but hate it the next. John ate only peanut butter sandwiches for one week and broccoli the next week. It all works out okay in the end. You have to pick your battles, and some days the food battle is not worth fighting.

- Excerpt taken from I'm Not Perfect. I’m A Mom

8. Am I the only one going through all these confusing parenting issues?

My children love me so much they sometimes hit me in public. Maybe it was because I tried to force one of them into a high chair they hated, or maybe one of them was having a bad day, or maybe one of them wanted the ball that I had refused to buy… with kids, sometimes who knows why they do it?

- Excerpt taken from I'm Not Perfect. I’m A Mom