Back in January, Lily had her first full-blown tantrum and it lasted at least twenty minutes. We could not figure out what triggered it and we couldn’t calm her down. I remember saying to Steven, “I thought we had more time before we hit this stage.” hahaha, how wrong I was! Tantrums are a regular thing around here, and they are developmentally appropriate for her age, so I try not to take them personally, haha.
But! I reached a point where I knew something had to give, and I wanted to have a better way to work with Lily during these tantrums because I know that they are probably just as stressful for her as they are for us! Enter : The Happiest Toddler on the Block by Harvey Karp.
Gosh, his books are GOLD! I read Happiest Baby on the Block and it was so so helpful with sleep training and setting routines for Lily when she was six or seven months old. But let me tell you something – I wish I had read BOTH of these books BEFORE she was born! I would’ve felt so much more prepared, haha. It took me a few weeks to get through Happiest Toddler (super easy read!) but it was one of the best things I’ve done as a parent recently! It explained tantrums on a super basic level (i.e. our kids are actually little cave-people when they get upset!) and it was really really good.
The book also gave a ton of really fantastic strategies to use when dealing with tantrums, and how to prevent them! When I started reading it, I started implementing one of the strategies it talked about and I was already seeing a difference in how quickly I could calm Lily down if she was having a tantrum. It was amazing!!
I’m not an expert, and I don’t claim to be, and that’s why I’m going to tell you that as a parent, I highly recommend this book! I’m still practicing the strategies Dr. Karp has shared, and I feel a little silly getting used to it, but I’m noticing that they DO work! If you’re struggling with tantrums with your little one, definitely go buy this book right now and start reading!! You won’t regret it!
Do you have any other parenting books you really love?! Tell me about them below!
Linda is a Boston-based photographer specializing in weddings and creating family legacies. You can see more of her work online at lindabarryphotography.com, on Instagram, or on Facebook. If you want to reach out directly: linda@lindabarryphotography.com. To sign up for the monthly newsletter full of encouragement and real life, click here!
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