Bad behavior and tantrums — it's moments like these I have to stop myself from yelling and getting more upset; but I found a way that works every time: humor. And here is why it works.
It diffuses the tension
When the air is thick with tension, the best way to get rid of it is with laughter. When your child is mad and giving you the stink eye, instead of giving it right back to him, make him laugh. Tickle him, blow raspberries, make a silly face — whatever it is that makes him laugh. The situation will quickly turn from tense to silly.
It gets his mind on something else
Changing the subject will get his mind off of his anger. He will be able to focus on something else besides how upset he is. Even if the problem is something that needs to be addressed, it won't get solved until he is calmed down. Lighten the situation, and then after things have cooled off, talk about what happened.
It helps you to calm down as well
Sometimes you may be on the verge of losing it yourself. Instead of giving in to your anger, use humor to calm yourself down as well. When your child sees that you are not angry, she will change her tone. Once you focus on getting your child to smile, it is easier to use love and kindness to solve a problem.
It teaches her to shake it off
If your child tends to dwell on things for a while and takes a long time to get over something, this method can help. By showing her that instead of getting mad, she should laugh, it will teach her how to better cope with hard situations. When she is in future situations and you are not around, she will be able to overcome her anger without your help, because she is learning now what to do.
Now, when my child gets upset, instead of throwing a tantrum, she will ask me to tickle her. She knows that is how we move on from being upset and overcome our anger.
This method is used to diffuse a situation, and helps your child get back in control, especially if he or she tends to overreact about small things. It is also a way for you to not explode every time your child talks back to you or disobeys you. Then problems can be properly discussed after you have both calmed down.
