Nanny 911: Bribing Children During Tantrums
Is it that bad to say, "I'll buy you some candy if you stop crying now"? I know bribing your kid isn't the best thing to do, but when you're in public and your kid is going completely nuts, sometimes it's just so much easier! What are some other options to nip tantrums in the bud (quickly!) without surrendering yourself?!?
It is not a good idea to bribe your children out of a meltdown, as that means it becomes something that works for them! It would be like me saying to you, "If you scream, kick and cry as loud as you can and embarrass me as much as you can, I will buy you that Prada handbag"!
It is very important—no matter how embarrassing or how long the tantrum lasts—that you do not give your children what they want! Take a few steps away and tell your kid, "OK, if you are behaving this way, we will talk when you are done," and just ignore the people staring at you. (I know it is hard!) If the tantrum continues, you can periodically check in and just remind them to "let me know when you are done."
I promise you, if you are not giving in to them, the tantrums will stop. Better yet, try to prepare for meltdowns in order to help avoid them altogether. Good luck!
Answered by
Nanny Deb
report abuse
Submit!
