Behaviour
Key information this page includes:
Help your toddler with their emotions.
Like all of us, toddlers have big feelings, but they sometimes struggle to express them. By supporting your toddler to manage their emotions, you can help them develop lifelong skills to cope with big feelings as they grow.
As your toddler starts moving around and doing things by themselves, they will need help to deal with their feelings.
When toddlers find it hard to say they are angry or sad, they might have what we call a 'tantrum'.
A tantrum is your toddler’s way of saying, “I need help with my big feelings.”
The more you help your toddler now, the better they will be at managing their feelings on their own later.
“Terrible twos”
When your toddler is around 18 months old, they might have more tantrums and feel frustrated more often.
This stage is sometimes called the 'terrible twos'. Even though it can be hard for parents and carers, it is a normal and healthy part of growing up.
Your toddler’s brain is growing fast as they learn about their feelings. It will get easier as they learn to talk about their big feelings with you.
If you are not sure if you child’s behaviour is normal for their age, you can visit a Family Hub, we have lots of groups and activities for toddlers. Our Early Life workers can talk to you about your child’s behaviour and support with activities to help your toddler to manage their feelings. The EasyPeasy app can also help, download it and search ‘emotions’
Supporting your child with their emotions can be hard work, especially if you are tired, worried or stressed. If this is the case, you can get support from your local Family Hub or see our parental mental health pages.
For more information on helping your child to manage their emotions please follow this link Help your toddler manage their emotions - Start for Life - NHS (www.nhs.uk)