Challenging Behaviour in Toddlers and Young Children
Picture this: A 3 year old is screaming and throwing toys across the room. She slaps at her caregiver as they try to pick her up. Is this normal or should we be concerned? We need to first understand what “typical” or developmentally appropriate behaviour to expect from children according to their age. In general, young children experience a range of emotions which can change rapidly. As they may not yet have sufficient oral communication skills, or are simply too frustrated to find the words, they will express themselves in many different ways, including screaming, throwing and lashing out with their bodies. So, yes – it is normal for toddlers and young children to have tantrums and break rules while their language, social and emotional skills are developing, and there are things the supporting adults around them can do to try to calm these tantrums and lessen the frequency. What does challenging behaviour look like? You might see behaviour such as: What causes challenging behaviour? Some of the common triggers include: How to respond in the moment? Some long-term strategies to minimise challenging behaviours. While we may not like some of the behaviours we see in toddlers and young children it is important as adults that we have realistic expectations of how children should behave, and an understanding of what behaviour is age and developmentally appropriate. So work through the tantrums, have consistency in your long-term strategies, praise the wanted behaviour and know that as your child develops so will their behaviour!
