Young children often have trouble controlling their temper. A 4-year-old child in our program would throw a tantrum when his LEGO® blocks got stuck and he couldn't take them apart.
It's important for parents to learn how to soothe their children in this situation. We coached the parents to give time for the child to calm down. It was also important not to react negatively with words or actions to exacerbate the situation. Guidance should be provided after the child had calmed down.
We also took this opportunity to practice some soothing skills with the child. We taught the child that sometimes things won't go our way, but we could use alternative methods to solve problems.
With these tips, the parents and the child were able to focus on the soothing skills rather than reacting in frustration. The child also learned to build resilience when encountering obstacles.