Any parent who has been in a toy aisle with a hangry toddler who’s tired from staying up too late the previous night hate-tweeting and binge-watching Fox News can empathize with the 116th Congress having to deal with our President’s border wall fixation.
Just like a three-year-old kicking and screaming on the floor because you won’t buy them the extravagant, over-priced toy that they bragged to all the kids in class that they were going to get, our toddler of a president is ready to prove to the world that nobody is better at throwing tantrums than he is.
What better place to learn how to deal with irrational, childish behavior than a Parents.com article called “8 Temper Tantrum Survival Strategies.” Just replace the word “child” with “president” (that’s literally all I did) and the 116th Congress will be on their way to coaxing our man-child president back from emotional collapse.
(Original, non-presidential-article was by Karen Horsch at Parents.com. The following has been slightly edited for purposes of national security.)
De-escalate the Situation When Your President is Losing It.
While everyone tries to prevent tantrums, there will be times when Presidents simply lose their cool. When this happens to your President, there’s not much you can do — he simply has to vent. Here’s some expert advice on handling these outbursts:
1. Keep your cool and deal with the tantrum as calmly as possible. Remember, you are your President’s role model for handling anger, notes Ray Levy, PhD, coauthor of Try and Make Me! Simple Strategies That Turn Off the Tantrums and Create Cooperation (Rodale Press, 2001). Though it may be tempting to yell at or lecture your President, Levy advises you to take a “clip it” or “zip it” approach. State your position calmly, he says, and make it short and to the point.
2. Walk away from him when he’s having an outburst. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving the scene, stay nearby, but keep busy, suggests Dr. Tolmas. Don’t make eye contact or start arguing with your President. If he sees his tantrum isn’t having an effect on you, he’ll most likely stop.
3. When your President is having a public tantrum, pick him up and carry him calmly to a safe place. Take him to your car or a public bathroom, where he can blow off steam. Be careful not to overreact or lash out at your President because you’re embarrassed. Once you’re in a quieter place, calmly explain your position, and try to ignore the tantrum until it stops. Sometimes just touching or stroking a President will soothe him. If your President continues to scream, place him securely in his car seat and head for home.
4. Talk in soothing tones. If your President throws a tantrum in a place that you just can’t leave (like an airplane), talk to him in a quiet tone, suggests Levy. If it helps to keep you calm, repeat the same phrase over and over.
5. Don’t try to reason with a President who’s having a tantrum. He is so emotionally out of control that this won’t work, Levy notes.
6. Use humor or distraction to draw your President out of a tantrum. Make a funny face or point out something interesting to take your President’s attention away from the source of frustration.
7. In some cases, give in to the tantrum (within reason). Sometimes this is a smart strategy, notes says Dr. Hagan. While bribery (“I’ll give you some ice cream if you stop crying”) should never be an option, if you want to have a peaceful car ride, you might give in to your President’s request to hear the same tape over and over again.
8. Don’t ignore aggressive actions. If your President is behaving aggressively during a tantrum — kicking, hitting, biting, throwing, or breaking things — take action. If possible, remove your President from the source of his anger, and hold him or give him some time alone to calm down and regain control. For Presidents old enough to understand, a time-out may be effective.
Many
Presidents just seem to snap out of a tantrum as quickly and inexplicably as
they got into it in the first place. Once the tantrum is over, Dr. Hagan
suggests going to your President, giving him a hug and a kiss, telling him you
love him, and moving on.
Dwelling on the outburst only makes them feel bad and may even cause the tantrum to start up again.
If you want to have a discussion with your President, talk about the tantrum several hours after it’s over. Ask your President to tell you what set off his outburst, and help him think about problem-solving strategies for the future.
The information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your President’s condition.
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Original Parents.com post can be found here.
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