Tag Archives: meltdowns

Tantrums: Eight management strategies to keep in mind

Please find eight strategies to keep in mind when responding to a a tantrum exhibited by a child in your care. These are meant to be received as practical first steps. Continue reading

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When Punishment is Problematic

People do not act for no reason.
They may act in response to an idea.
They may act in response to an emotion. Continue reading

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Oral stimulation facilitates feelings of wellbeing

This is another of my posts on the Secure Start Facebook page. Let me know what you think! From the earliest hours of life, infants experience feelings of emotional wellbeing in association with suckling. As a result, a powerful association … Continue reading

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Taming Tantrums; Managing Meltdowns: Part Two

In Part One of this series, I refer to the fact that the management of severe tantrums and meltdowns in children is an arousal management issue, rather than a behaviour management issue. In this second part of the series, I … Continue reading

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Taming Tantrums; Managing Meltdowns: Part One

In my practice one of the more common presenting problems is severe tantrums, or meltdowns, in children. Common reactions among adults who care for these children include frustration, embarrassment, desperation and helplessness. Typically, these otherwise competent parents have tried a … Continue reading

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Survive the School Holidays

Stress is a major cause of demanding and unsettled behaviour in children. Under stress, the brains of children are hard-wired to set off behaviours associated with the fight-flight-freeze response: Fight:     Controlling, aggressive, destructive and demanding behaviour, hyperactivity Flight:    Running off, … Continue reading

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How parental expectations influence emotional involvement with our children

I am the father of three boys. I am also a Clinical Psychologist with more than sixteen years experience in child and family psychology. I have conducted more than 1000 assessments of children and their parents in child protection and … Continue reading

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What’s in a name? The problem with the “Helicopter Parent” metaphor

A helicopter is an aircraft that, amongst other things, allows its occupants to hover, observe and, where necessary (as in the case of emergencies), intervene. “Helicopter Parent” is a prejorative term used to refer to parents who are intrusively overprotective … Continue reading

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Why is consistency so important?

Be consistent is a parenting maxim that is often spoken about. But why is being consistent so important? An answer lies in a series of experiments that informed academic and applied psychology for more than half a century. During the … Continue reading

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Reassuring Children

Today, my eight year old son drew my attention to his sore knee, which he bruised falling on stairs at our home yesterday. He has a nice purple bruise in the middle of his knee. When distracted, he walks fine … Continue reading

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