Troubling Toddler Temperaments

We help you get beneath the surface of what makes your little volcano of a toddler explode.

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All smiles in one moment and a teary menace in the next – there’s no telling when a toddler’s temperament will take the tumble. Dealing with a toddler is precarious as things can change in a flash. Their behavior is akin to teenage mood swings, leaving you wondering if you’ve got a teen in that tiny toddler body. So what makes our little tykes so moody?

Behaviour consultant of FamilySOS, Katy Harris, shares that toddlers’ moodiness can be related to them learning to manage the gamut of feelings and sensations in their little bodies, inadequacy of communication skills to express their needs, not being able to link their responses to the situation at hand, and hormonal changes around the terrible twos.

Hence, toddler temperaments are a normal part of growing and is part of a developmental milestone. Though their temperaments can be frustrating and may jeopardise happy moments over the tiniest detail, toddlers are also doing their best to understand the world around them and express themselves.

Why So Moody?

Not only are toddlers making sense of the world around them, they are also becoming more aware of their own bodies and the feelings and sensations within them. Sometimes, they might be exhausted or hungry and know nothing about how to express it or what they want in that moment. These moments can result in an episode of flare-ups or fits. The world is still a huge and fascinating place for toddlers who are fumbling to find their place in it. You and the rest of the world tower over their pint-sized builds. Pair that with their limited vocabulary and that can be pretty frustrating. Toddlers might be prone to poor temperaments simply because they can’t express what they want or need.