5 Things Skilled Parents Do During Tantrums, Per Psychologist
A psychologist says parents who handle tantrums well raise emotionally intelligent kids better equipped for life's challenges.
Parents who respond effectively to their children's tantrums are raising more emotionally intelligent kids, according to psychologist Juli Fraga — and the benefits extend well beyond the meltdown itself. Fraga identifies five specific behaviors that separate skilled parents from those who simply try to stop the outburst as quickly as possible.
Children raised by parents who master these techniques develop a stronger ability to manage their own emotions over time. Fraga notes that these kids become better at weathering setbacks, embracing independence, and showing willingness to try new things — core traits of emotional resilience that serve children into adulthood.
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The psychologist's framework centers on parental responses that validate a child's feelings rather than dismiss or punish them. This kind of emotionally attuned parenting signals to children that their inner experiences are safe to express, which researchers have long associated with healthier social and psychological development.
The approach also carries implications for how children eventually handle peer relationships, academic pressure, and personal failure. By modeling calm, consistent emotional responses during high-stress moments like tantrums, parents effectively teach regulation skills that children gradually internalize as their own.
For families looking to put this into practice, Fraga's five-point framework offers a concrete starting point grounded in developmental psychology. Continue reading at US Top News and Analysis.