Temper Tantrums

Ataques de Mal Genio

Guide F-112/Guía F-112
Diana S. Del Campo
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University

Author: Extension Child Development and Family Life Specialist, Department of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, New Mexico State University. (Print Friendly PDF / Imprimir PDF amistoso)

Children between the ages of 1 and 3 often have temper tantrums. They may cry, shout, hit, bite, throw themselves on the floor, and kick. Some children may even hold their breath. You may not know what started the tantrum, but you certainly know you want to stop it!

Fig 1: Parent with a crying child.

Some children have tantrums because they have learned it is a way to get attention or to get something else they want. Others copy parents who have quick tempers. Tantrums probably mean children are overcome by anger or frustration. They may be overtired, hungry, or very excited.

Tantrums can be embarrassing if you are around others. Your children may hurt themselves or someone else. You probably feel you need to help your children get control of themselves.

Children need encouragement to become more independent, but they also need guidance and limits. You cannot let children continue to be out of control for a long time, and you probably don’t want them to be. There is no magic way to handle temper tantrums, but here are some suggestions.

  • Try to remain calm. Take a deep breath and count to 10. Yelling at or spanking children will only make them more upset. Children having tantrums need time to calm down. Make sure children see you calming yourself so they will eventually use the same techniques to calm down.

  • Keep your children from harming themselves or others.

  • When children have tantrums, separate them from other children or from the place where they are having the tantrum. If you can’t separate a child, hold her in your arms.

  • When children calm down from a tantrum, comfort them and try to find out what caused the tantrum.

  • If you give children what they want when they have tantrums (especially when in a public place), they might learn to use tantrums to get their way.

  • Often you can prevent tantrums by controlling the situations that cause them. Try not to take overtired or hungry children shopping. Bring along a favorite toy when you go somewhere that doesn’t offer entertainment or playmates for your children. Let your children know you love them, but you are not going to give in to their tantrums.

  • Show your children you love them even when they’re angry. Let them know that angry feelings are okay. Also let them know that you will not let them turn their feelings into actions like kicking and hitting. Staying calm is the best way to help children stay calm.

Los niños de uno a tres años tienen ataques de mal genio. Pueden gritar, llorar, pegar o morder a alguien, patalear o tirarse al piso. Algunas criaturas contienen la respiración. Quizás Ud. no sepa la causa del ataque, pero sí debe tratar de pararlo.

Algunos niños tienen ataques de mal genio porque saben que así consiguen la atención de los adultos o lo que quieren en ese momento. Otros imitan a los padres que tienen poca paciencia. Estos ataques demuestran que las criatura está enojada o frustrada. También puede estar muy cansada, excitada ó tener hambre.

Los ataques de mal genio pueden resultar inconvenientes delante de otras personas. Su hijo puede lastimarse o dañar a alguien. Lo mejor es que Ud. trate de ayudar a su hijo a controlarse.

Su hijo necesita que Ud. lo anime a ser más independiente, pero también necesita una guía y límites. Los padres no pueden permitir que la criatura se descontrole per mucho tiempo. Aquí damos unas sugerencias para que Ud. ayude a su hijo.

  • Trate de mantener la calma. Los gritos y los castigos aumentan su enojo. Lo que su hijo necesita es tiempo para calmarse.

  • Evite que su hijo se lastime o lastime a los demás.

  • Separe a su hijo de otros niños o del lugar donde ha sufrido los ataques de mal genio. Si no puede irse, sostenga a su hijo en brazos.

  • Cuando la criatura se haya calmado, anímelo y trate de descubrir que causóel ataque de mal genio.

  • Si Ud. le da lo que quiere cuando su hijo se descontrola, la criatura puede aprender a usar estos ataques para hacer su voluntad.

  • A menudo, los ataques de mal genio pueden prevenirse controlando las situaciones que los originan. No lleve a su hijo de compras cuando está cansado o hambriento. Traiga su juguete favorito o uno de sus amiguitos para que su hijo no se aburra en un lugar para adultos. Comuníquele a su hijo que lo quiere mucho, pero que usted no cederá a sus ataques de mal genio.

  • Demuéstrele a su hijo que lo quiere, aun cuando esté enojado, y que el enojo puede aceptarse. Pero también hágale saber que esos sentimientos no pueden expresarse con golpes y puntapiés. Si Ud. se mantiene en calma, eso ayudará a su hijo a calmar sus ataques de mal genio también.

Additional Information/Informacion Adicional

Family Development publications produced by New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service are all located at https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_f/

Guide F-107: Helping Young Children Cope with Anger/Ayudándole a los niños pequeños a contolar el enojo

Guide F-108: Guiding Young Children/Guiando a los niños pequeños

Guide F-109: Toilet Training for Toddlers/Su bebé aprende a usar el baño

Guide F-110: Helping Children Go to Bed/Cuando los niños no quieren irse a la cama

Guide F-112: Temper Tantrums/Ataques de mal genio

Guide F-115: Showing Love to Your Child/Demuestre el cariño a su niño

Guide F-116: Listening is Important/Eschucha a su hijo

Guide F-120: Creating Strong Families

Guide F-122: Understanding Teens

Guide F-213: When the New Baby Arrives/Cuando llegue el nuevo bebé

Adapted from a publication of the Cooperative Extension Service, University of California, Berkeley.

Fig 2: Diana Del Campo, Extension Child Development and Family Life Specialist, Department of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, New Mexico Sate University.

Diana Del Campo is the Extension Child Development and Family Life Specialist in the Department of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences at NMSU. She earned her doctorate at the University of Michigan and her master’s degree at Virginia Tech. She is the co-author of Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Childhood and Society from McGraw-Hill, which is in its 9th edition.

To find more resources for your business, home, or family, visit the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences on the World Wide Web at pubs.nmsu.edu.

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Revised and electronically distributed February 2012, Las Cruces, NM.