Meltdown Mastery: The Listening and Skilled Toddler Mini Course

 Meltdown Free Outings

+plus a Bonus Video below!

1. Timing: how long are you doing an activity or part of your outing (think 15 minutes) -sequence of events
2. Transitions: How will you transition from one activity to another, share/warnings, countdown)....
3. Hunger: If it’s past your child's eating time they are going to be hungry and more likely to melt down, can you take a break at a table for a snack?
4. Thirst: Your child might be thirsty and offering water is always ok!
5. Stretch/play-has your baby been in the stroller too long, do they need a break, how can you work in stretch of play. Going from sitting in car seat to sitting at table, and didn’t have stretch time. 
6. Rest- Your little one might need a rest of a break from playing while out, provide those breaks.
7. Communication-make sure to communicate the transitions or breaks “time for snack”. 
8. Leveraging a want- If you know your child might have difficulty listening, leverage something highly motivating, I use the boardwalk at the end of our outing so they can see the turtles and ducks but also so I can easily get them back in the stroller. 

 A Bonus Video is below!

A Special Note:

Often you might hear from another parent giving your child nourishment when you are out is a bribe. I just want to quickly state the differences.

Bribe: Child is having a meltdown so you bribe them with a favorite treat to get them to stop crying. Example: "Stop crying, here is lollipop" 

Reward: Stating if a child does something with an expecting behavior they will get the reward after. If they don't have the expected behavior they will not get the reward. 

Example: "If you don't cry when we leave the park, then you get a lollipop"

First/Then: First/then is communicating a sequence of events with your child. First they get in the stroller (and stop playing) and then they get a snack. The snack might be more exciting to the child than getting in the stroller, so it does create a reason for your child to want to follow directions and get in the stroller or sit at the table to get the snack. If your child has a meltdown they can still get the snack once they eventually sit down and change their behavior (it's not one chance only). When we keep in mind our child's eating schedule with a snack and water this is not bribery this is creating a safe relationship with our children letting them know their needs are being met and they are being cared for. It also models safe eating, "first you sit down (stop running around), then you eat". 

Example: "First you will sit down at the table, then you can have your snack".