So, your toddler throws temper tantrums at you very frequently and you are confused about how to put a check to it, right? First of all, you have to understand that it is not rare and your little one is not suffering from any type of mental illness. If you dig into the reasons lying behind such temper tantrums of kids, you will realize that there is nothing embarrassing if you can’t ‘stop’ such outbursts. Read rest of the article to know why toddlers throw such tantrums at the elders:
A Common Biological Response to Anger
According to Michael Potegal, the famous pediatric neuropsychologist working in the University of Minnesota, located in Minneapolis in the United States, such brutal explosions of emotions seen in toddlers is nothing but a normal reaction. Being a tantrum expert, who has been analyzing the causes, types and characteristics of tantrums since quite a few years, he says that such temper tantrums observed in children are a very common sort of biological response to annoyance as well as frustration. He also makes clear that it is absolutely normal for kids who belong to the age group of 1.5 years to 4 years and there is no logic in blaming the parents for such situations.
Underdeveloped Brain Parts are Culprits
If you want to go deeper, you have to study the construction of the brain of your little one. The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), which is constituted by the grey matter present at the rear of the eyebrows, starts developing only at the age of four in human beings. Being the most vital part of brain, it plays a key role in controlling the emotional as well as social behaviors of a person. As it does not get mature in kids under 4 years, they remain quite immature at that phase. Consequently, they react in an illogical manner.
Stress is Also an Important Factor
However, the underdeveloped PFC is not the only reason behind such unreasonable displays of emotion in children. Stress is another significant factor that should be taken into account. Usually, toddlers become unable to understand even the most ordinary events and end up getting confused or scared. It stimulates the release of ‘fight or flight hormone’ cortisol in their bodies, which is known to act as the ‘tantrum juice’!
So, next time if your toddler starts behaving in an unclear way, do not blame yourself for bad parenting.
