First Aid for Tantrums

This book and 1-2-3 Magic were the two books I referred to throughout the tantrum stage. I didn't need these books as much once my kids grew up a little and were able to communicate their feelings better. Then I could just reason with them most of the time. If you would like to ask me any questions, feel free to contact me via my parenting website www.TheMommyTree.com.

I am a successful cartoonist who, on occasion, has to deal with four rambunctious children. While I believe most families are a little dysfunctional, ours sometimes becomes a regular circus! In the past, I would get so angry that I ended up having long visits with Mr. James Beam, (if you know what I mean); but now I never drink out of anger...only pleasure!This book has not only changed my life, but also my wife's. Her way of dealing with our melon-headed kids in the past was to compulsively clean. Now she and I can both relax in knowing our kids are in good hands with Uncle Roy.This book has shown me that you don't have to raise your children with an iron fist, but with hands of wood, me lad. And you won't have to worry about taking your kids to the shed, because they will already be on top of it.

As a young mother of four (two of whom are in the throws of the terrible Twos) I really needed this book. My kids are like most, I guess, brimming over with energy that sometimes gets misplaced. Sometimes they throw a lone fit when they don't get what they want, for instance when our girl wants "ice fweam" for dinner instead of the dreaded "p'sghetti." Or when our penultimate son wants to "renegotiate the contract" with us (so to speak) and demamnds top billing at the attention theater. Or, as the author experienced with her little boy's first tantrum on the Fire Island ferry (we love the place, btw!), our oldest pitched his first hissy fit on the ferry (well, taxi-boat really) that plies the Manitowish Waters in N. Wisconsin, the "Captain Roy." I, too, thought the crew or the mate (a mighty saling man) would toss us into the drink! And our youngest? Frankly, sometimes he can be a pampered jerk!This is not to say we don't love the kids, we love them to death! But how do you deal practically with tantrums which, we know, can happen to any child? This book is a real help in that department. It's full of sage advice on how to calm the frenzy down and take control of your home life. We invented a little game in our house inspired by one of the exercises mentioned in the book, we call it "Green Light/Yellow Light/Red Light." It involves ranking our behavior and the kids just love it. Another thing we tried (but is not in the book although the book gave my husband the idea) is "Self-Discipline Calling" in which when the child is having a hissy my husband calls out "Oing! Oing! Who's At The Door?" and the frenzied child has to respond "Self-discipline calling, come right in!" This gives them the little extra control they need to rein in their wild emotions. I have this book before me as I write this, and I'm glad to say that for the most part the tantrums are behind us!

If you have a child in your life, or know a parent struggling with their child's tantrums, get a copy of this humerous and down-to-earth book today! I have two toddlers one year apart and needed lots of advise about tantrums in public places. My mother gave me this book and I will forever be thankful. Chapter 3 "Everybody's Favorite: Tantrums in the Supermarket and the Restaurant" has wonderful ideas and advise that actually work.I gave this book to a co-worker who was taking her 1 1/2 year old on a long car trip. She followed many of the suggestions in Chapter 4 "Planes, Trians, and Automobiles". She said the trip was still an experience, but the information in the book was extremely useful. As my kids get older, I refer back to the book more solutions. First Aid for Tantrums is a wonderful resource and will be in my personal library, well worn, for many years.