PW invited parents of SVKM’s Mukesh R. Patel School (CBSE), Shirpur, Dhule district (Maharashtra) to share insights on how they handle their children’s tantrums

After the prolonged schools lockdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, I am not surprised my son Om Prashant (class VIII) is addicted to his mobile phone. Having no domestic help made matters worse leaving us with no time to monitor his activities. When normal school re-opened, we started restricting his access to digital devices but noticed a rise in his tantrums. Distracting him did not work and he started performing poorly. We then decided to enrol him in a residential school with tight schedules which barred social media access. It was the right decision. His tantrums reduced appreciably and he now invests substantial time in sports activities.

— Prashant Patil, teacher at Zilla Parishad School, Bandarpada, Sakri

“Our son Aditya Sunnykumar Gujrathi (class IV) is an intelligent, hardworking child who usually completes his work on time. However, the minute he starts demanding something which doesn’t meet our approval, his tantrums begin. After analysing the situation, we decided to sit together and engage in healthy conversation with him to politely explain to him that his object of desire may not be the most important thing in his life. This works better than saying a sharp ‘No’ to his face. This tends to make children rebellious. Positive attention is our mantra.

— Dr. Sunnykumar, medical practitioner

Tantrums are a common trait among teenagers including my son Dhruv Deepak Shevankar (class IX). Ours is a traditional household when it comes to following set rules of behaviour. Dhruv is free to talk with friends and peers the way he wants, but at home with elders he is extra careful with language and etiquette. We never engage in paying verbal bribes to get tasks done. As parents we give him all the space and time to do what he wants, but accept no excuses in following a study time-table. Having conditioned Dhruv from early age, his occasional tantrums are easy to handle. Being firm but polite works most of the time.

— Deepak Kingaonkar, examination department official, NMIMS, Shirpur

Teenage tantrums can become frustrating especially when we are under substantial work pressure. In such situations, I try to communicate with my teenage daughter Dhara (class X) to understand the cause of her tantrum. Most teenage tantrums are rooted in hormonal changes but as parents it’s important to ensure that they don’t take advantage of these situations. Appreciating my daughter’s smallest efforts and giving positive feedback has helped to make her feel important. Although I must admit that I have succumbed to a few demands which aren’t harmful to her physical or mental well-being.

— Ankur Patel, chemical engineer, Total Pvt. Ltd