Tantrums vs. Meltdowns

Angry loved ones bring tremendous stress to a household.

“Whenever I say no to my nine-year-old, he goes off the rails. He yells, throws things, tells me he hates me, and threatens to kill himself. I find myself saying yes to more things than I want to, just to avoid his fits.”

This mother is describing her child’s tantrum. A tantrum is a fit of temper that is used as a communication tool. If the tantrum could speak, it might say something like: “Change your mind or I’ll make your life miserable.”

Not all fits of rage are tantrums. Some are meltdowns. A meltdown can look exactly like a tantrum, but is actually quite different.