Diary of a Working Mum

How to Survive a 5-Year-Old’s Tantrum Without Losing Your Mind

Parenting a 5-year-old is like trying to negotiate with a tiny dictator who’s had too much juice and not enough sleep. Tantrums are their weapon of choice—they are loud, dramatic, and often triggered by something as trivial as opening their snack the wrong way. Here’s a quick rundown of what I have found helps me to cope with those meltdowns while keeping my sanity (mostly) intact.

1 Master the Art of Distraction
When my daughter is screaming because her sandwich was cut into triangles instead of squares, or the jam was spread wrong, distraction is key. Whether it’s pointing to the sky and yelling, “Is that Spider-Man?!” While she’s looking at the sky, I swap the sandwich for a cookie. It’s not the halthiest option, but it averts the crisis, and she basically thinks I am a superhero.

2 Channel Their Inner Drama Queen
Tantrums are basically Broadway auditions and sometimes there is nothing that can be done, except for go along with it and join in. I don’t measn screaming at the top of your voice or flailing around on the floor. But one hack I have learned is to hand my daughter a toy microphone and say, “Wow, that’s a great scream! Can you do it in a pirate accent?” Depending how she is feeling, she either laughs or gets so confused that she forgets why she was mad. Either way, I win!

3 Bribe Shamelessly (But Call It “Positive Reinforcement”)
Most parents probably utilise this trick already, but thought I would add it in anyway. I always keep a stash of gummy bears for emergencies. It has to be something that is completley lacking in nutritional value and full of sugar, it’s the only thing that works. an apple would not have the same effect. When the tantrum hits its peak, I offer one gummy bear for every second that she stops squealing. The more gummy bears she gets, the more the tantrum stops and is replaced with requests fore more gummy bears. I feel like a genius in the moment, but then regret my life decisions when she is hyperactive and trashing the house. Pro tip: Always hide the stash, and hide it well or they’ll stage a tantrum for the whole bag. Kids are clever, and they soon learn what works.

4 Perfect Your Zen Face
When kids are angrily throwing themselves around on the floor like a fish out of water, it’s hard to not get frustrated. But instead I try to nod calmly, sip my coffee (or something stronger if you like, no judgment here!), and pretend I am on a beautiful beach. Kids eventually tire out, and us parents collapse soon after with exhaustion and overwhelm. Just don’t let the kids see it!

5 Accept the Chaos
Sometimes, no matter what you do, there is no appeasing them. If i have tried everything, I just let my daughter scream and get her emotions out whilst I scroll through Pinterest, staring in awe at the beautiful homes and families (which always make me feel like an inadequate parent). Laughing at my own misery is oddly therapeutic, and hey, at least I am not alone—i know that every parent’s been there.

Final Thought: Tantrums are temporary (although they feel never ending at the time!), but I know that my daughters ability to push my buttons and find my triggers will always be there, so I know I must find a way to manage. I would strongly advise stocking up on snacks (for you, not them). Even more importantly, maintaining a sense of humor definitley helps. Because one day, our children will be teenagers, who want nothing to do with us, and we will miss these meltdowns. Okay, maybe not miss them, but you get my drift.

Hang in there, we are all in this together!

Cheerio

E X