Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Taming Your Kids’ Temper Tantrums

If your child is prone to temper tantrums, you know that they can make you feel like you’re close to having a meltdown, too! Young kids – mostly those between ages one and four – haven’t developed the coping skills they need to react calmly to negative situations, which usually results in a temper tantrum.

If you’re having a hard time getting those meltdowns under control, you’re not alone! Plenty of parents struggle to figure out what to do to calm down a child when they’re in the middle of an episode.

Ray Levy, a Dallas-based clinical psychologist says, “for children between one and two, tantrums often stem from trying to communicate a need – more milk, a diaper change, that toy over there – but not having the language skills to do it.”

Levy suggests that tantrums are the result of small children getting frustrated when their parents don’t respond the way they want them to.

So, how can you stop these outbursts from occurring so often? According to Parents.com, there are several ways you can keep these temper tantrums at bay, including:


  1. Ignore the child during the tantrum – Researchers suggest that during a tantrum, the emotions in your child are on overdrive, which is why reasoning doesn’t work. Let your child work out his or her frustration, and once the child calms down, then you can talk.
  2. Give your child some space – In a controlled environment (where your child won’t hurt him or herself), sometimes it’s best to let your child work out the anger. Teaching them how to vent in a non-destructive way will actually be good for children in the long run.
  3. Create a diversion – Keep some books or toys handy in your purse, car, or in different places around the house to use as a distraction when your child starts to get fussy or frustrated.
  4. Find out what’s really frustrating them – For kids three years or younger, their vocabulary isn’t enough for them to tell you why they’re upset. Working on communication effectively could be the key to stopping a tantrum.
  5. Hugs – This may seem like a no brainer, but when a child is frustrated, sometimes all he or she needs is a big hug to feel more secure. 


For more advice on how to deal with your child when they start to get angry or frustrated, visit our website and see other posts on our blog about behavior! At Little Angels, we do everything we can to make your child feel like he or she is being heard and being taken care of. That’s why parents like you made us the trusted and preferred preschool in Ann Arbor! Call us today to find out more!

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

A Letter From Little Angels

Dear Parents,

Living in a diverse community of people is something to be celebrated, but, in the current political climate, can also be scary, confusing, and frustrating for many of our children. We want you to be aware that there has been a lot of talk about Donald Trump in the Preschool A and Pre-K classrooms recently. In our community, we never want to dismiss a child’s feelings, whatever they may be. Instead, we want to redirect them into a healthy conversation about what we can do and assure them that their parents, as well as their teachers, will always keep them safe. As a parent, stay informed, but, also, if your child is within earshot of adult conversations or news bits, explain some of the information in an age-appropriate way. This will avoid confusion and fear of what they do not understand.

At the bottom of this email is a list of some of the phrases that we are giving to our teachers to help with some of the fears and confusion that some of the children are expressing. Please feel free to read through them and use them, as well. These are starting points for the teachers who will be carrying on the idea of “kindness”, “respect”, and “love” this month and beyond.

To make clear, here at Little Angels, we believe that we are all equal. Little Angels is committed to creating a safe space for ALL people, regardless of their race, religion, culture, sex, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, or ability. We stand in support with our immigrant, refugee, and Muslim families. We believe that our community is stronger because of the diversity we have with our staff, as well as the children and their families. You are safe here.

Thank you for being a part of our community,
Little Angels Management Team

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. I know it’s not what you wanted, but the people voted and that’s what happens in a democracy.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. We’re still going to do what we’ve always done, which is practice loving kindness, and to stand up to bullies.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. Let’s try our best to be thankful for what we have, instead of mad about what we don’t have.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. Your parents and your teachers are always here to talk to and we will always do our best to keep you safe.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. Here at Little Angels, we respect one another. We may come from different places and believe different things, but we treat one another with the same respect we expect to be treated with.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. There are many heroes in this country, and they will work hard to keep people from doing the bad things. And even if it takes a long time, heroes don't stop fighting.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. There are a lot of smart people whose job is checking on the president to make sure he does the right thing — just like your mom and dad and your teachers have checks and balances on you to make sure you're making good choices."

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. If we all are more open and kind, maybe others will learn to be as well. Trump might have some things to teach us, and we might have some things to teach him. If enough of us act with kindness and respect, he might change too."

Let Your Kids Cook For You!

Now that the holidays are over, it can be a struggle to keep kids entertained. To switch up your routine for playtime at home, and to get their creative juices flowing, put on your chef’s hat and get your child involved at dinnertime!

Our friends at Let The Children Play shared this fun activity they did at their facility, and we think it would work perfectly at home, too!

Obviously supervision is required, but you can find many ways to make it work for your family! If you or your significant other has a birthday coming up, try making a special birthday dinner with your child, or have your child help you make a cake.

Cooking something for you will teach your child how to follow instructions, and they’ll love creating a dish for you with bright colors and different textures!

Of course, there are dishes that are easy to make, and some that are more difficult. Try to pick foods that will allow them to do most of the work. Here are some suggestions:


  • Colorful veggie salad – Salads are relatively easy to make. Make sure you’re the one cutting up any large veggies, though! 
  • Sandwiches – let your child be creative with ingredients!
  • Fruit salad – You can buy fun shaped fruit cutters at your grocery store to make cutting up fruits easier and more fun! 
  • Pizza - Use english muffins for the "dough", or even pieces of bread! Find recipes online for stovetop pizzas.


To make this activity more special in warmer months, consider planting a vegetable garden and have your kids help! You can create little signs with your child to stick in the ground that mark each plant, and then use the vegetables you grow to make food throughout the year.

For more information about different activities to try with your child, see our other blog posts! Little Angels is the trusted and preferred preschool in Ann Arbor and we love to play outside and use our imagination.