Handling Grandchild’s Meltdowns

Question:

Our 7-year-old grandson often has “meltdowns” when he gets frustrated or doesn’t get his way. His parents often yell at him, but we don’t want to do that. We have tried different ways to calm him when he has a temper tantrum but with little success. Any suggestions?

Response:

I am glad that you do not want to yell at your grandson as that usually results in a child feeling more frustrated. It is best to talk with kids ahead of the time, being sure they hear the limits you have set as well as understand the consequences for not staying with them. Help them to know what you can and can’t provide during these times.

I encourage you to take some time to do that before he has another meltdown. Then when your grandson gets frustrated in the future, remind him of the limits. Tell him that you can’t reply to him when he is having a temper tantrum so he will need to take some time out to calm down, after which you will be able to talk to him.

You may need to encourage him to get some physical exercise while he is taking some time out as boys, in particular, are often able to decrease their frustration through physical activity. When my grandson gets frustrated, we often have him run ten laps in the backyard and that always seems to help him calm down.

Provide a place for your grandson to safely be alone and tell him that you will be able to talk to him after he is calm for 7 minutes. (It is good to tie time-out times to a child’s age.) Turn on a timer or use a timer on a clock, watch, or phone to keep track of the time.

Once he is calm, remind him of the limits and ask him to name one thing that he would like to do or have that is within your limits that he has not been able to do or does not have. Then tell him that he will be able to do that thing or have that thing if he is able to have no meltdowns for the next two times he is with you.

By doing this, you will be helping your grandson to begin to regulate his behavior, rewarding him for sticking to the limits while also giving him something reasonable to look forward to. He will also be learning to be responsible for his behavior along with there are rewards for good behavior and consequences for poor behavior.

I hope this information is helpful to you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Questions

Granddaughter Thinks She Is Bisexual

Question: My 14-year-old granddaughter thinks she is bisexual. How can I help? Response: We have seen a significant increase in the number of adolescents, teens,

Grandchildren Leaving the Faith

Question: How can I help my grandchildren who are wandering away from the faith? Response: As a grandparent, I can understand why this situation is

Summit 2025 Waitlist

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

Be the first to know when registration opens and get the best possible rate!

Webinar Registration

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

This online event is hosted on Grand Monday Nights, a weekly webinar. You can cancel anytime.

Get Your Free

Grandparents Day Kit!

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

Summit 2023 Online Waitlist

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

Get the latest blog posts,

updates, and more!

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

Webinar Registration

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

Get the latest blog posts,

updates, and more!

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

Webinar Registration

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.

Get Your Free Resource!

By submitting the form, you're opting in to marketing emails from Legacy Coalition. Your email is 100% safe.