Monday: 5 Healthy Ways to Handle a Crying Child

We love our children and our little babies, but sometimes when they are crying, it's just a hard knock life for us! There are a lot of ways to handle your children screaming, fussing, and crying, but some methods are definitely superior to others. Today's article for Moms is about 5 ways that you can deal with your children's crying- but not lose your cool.

1. When your baby or toddler stumbles and falls, don't flip out.
Your chidlren will fall as learn to explore their world-it is going to happen- and if you gasp, sigh, or put a surprised expression on your face, your children will adopt the same attitude about their fall, and then they will begin to associate falling with fear and sadness. If, however, you keep your cool and even laugh or say silly things after a fall, your little one may fuss a little from the bump they caused themselves, but they won't be afraid.

2. Don't treat fussing like crying.
I'm sure that after a few months of caring for your child, you've begun to distinguish their fussing from their crying. Crying is a plea for help, an expression of sadness, and generally your child's way of telling you they need something. Address their needs as required- but allow them to fuss a little. If you jump and run to their beck and call for every fussy sigh that escapes their mouth, you will

a) teach them that a small whine is all it takes for you to run to them and will be lost when you aren't there

b) run yourself ragged trying to fix things that really are nothing more than a squeal of baby frustration.

3. Don't stress about public crying.
Even if not everyone at the store or movie has had a child, they have all been  a child and most people are really not excessively bothered by fussing babies. Most situations will garner sympathy for you. If, however, you stress about being embarrassed and inconveniencing others too much, you will do anything to keep your child calm- including enforcing an attitude in your children that fussing in public will get them whatever they want from you. Start early and avoid dramatic future tantrums. ;)

4. Know when to walk away.
 There will be times where your child's crying will frustrate, annoy, and drive you to distraction. Yes, feed and rock your child, yes, answer their pleas for help: but there comes a time when a parent's patience is spent. Those are the times to walk away. Put your child in a safe place, make sure they are few, changed, and not too hot or cold- and then walk away, taking a deep breath. It is both better for your sanity and the well being of your child.

5. Monitor your thoughts.
Your inner attitude about your child's fussing and crying will make all the difference in how you treat your children. Think of the difference between these scenarios.

That boy! I have fed him, changed him, rocked him, sang to him, took him on a walk, bounced him- why won't he just stop crying! I don't know what to do anymore!

and

That poor boy!  I have fed him, changed him, rocked him, sang to him, took him on a walk, bounced him- and he won't stop crying! Poor baby boy- he needs something and doesn't know how to tell me what it is!
 
One will drive you to an anger you never want to feel towards your child and the other will lead to patience and sympathy. Remember, your thoughts regulate your actions- make sure that your thoughts are in keeping with the kind of mother you want to be and your actions will follow.


Best of luck to you as you keep on loving' your babies and giving them the best you have!