Emotional development from 18 to 24 months

He is aware of the separation of his parents and, although he loves to explore the environment around him, it is more difficult for him to separate from his parents (unlike the previous phase where walking away from them with almost no fear was the norm). Around this fact, it can be normal that during the first year of kindergarten the child hardly cries and, at the beginning of the second year at the age of two, breaks down in tears when the parents leave him in the class. Crying when leaving him to sleep is also typical since this is perceived as a separation. In these cases, it is highly recommended that the child have a "consolation" that can be a soft doll that accompanies him during the night (it symbolizes the presence of the parents and gives him security)

Tantrums

Around the age of two, the tantrums begin. Children, who still do not control their emotions, explode at any setback that does not meet their expectations.

Tantrums are emotional outbursts, a natural way for a child to communicate at this age. Through them, the child expresses what he wants and is an alternative tool to language, which is still very precarious at this age. The tantrums also show the difficulties that the child has to control his own behavior.

It is something temporary and it is not necessary to reinforce them but to teach the child new resources to communicate.

Advice:

• Keep calm. The adult and the one who is able to control emotions is the parent, we cannot catch up with them or shout because it is useless.
• Accept tantrums as normal and part of their development. Saying "no" is essential for their development and will help them become more independent and forge their own identity.
• Do not pay too much attention to him and encourage him that when he calms down you will talk to him.
• When he calms down, congratulate him, tell him that so calm and without yelling you can tell him that you are worried or what you want.
• Make a clean slate, after a tantrum that has already passed, parents should not continue to be angry or punish him with impossible things such as "I'm going to throw all your toys in the trash."
• If the reason for the tantrum is because he is being denied something that he does not touch at that moment, he should not give in to the crying and screaming of the child, because otherwise we will promote this behavior as a safe tool that the child will use to get what he wants.