Temper Tantrums: What to Know, How to Manage

By Michael Potegal, Ph.D., L.P.

We’ve all been there before. The crying, the kicking, the yelling, and the screaming. We’re talking about children’s temper tantrums, thrown mostly mid-mornings and late afternoons, but potentially anytime, anywhere.

My colleagues and I identified two components of tantrums: anger and distress. Angry behaviors include hitting, screaming, running away, and foot stomping. Distress-related behaviors include crying, whining, and dropping to the floor.

• Read more about temper tantrums
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