Why your 5 year old is bringing back the tantrum and how you can help

Being a 5-year-old is hard.

Starting kindergarten, learning how to ride a bike without training wheels, losing your first tooth, and being expected to (gasp) sit still for a prolonged period of time. It’s enough to push any child over the edge if the circumstances are just right.

Plenty of parents both confide in me and seek advice about why their previously tantrum-free 4-year-old has suddenly kicked it into high gear once he or she turns 5.

So, why are all these 5-year-olds melting down at the drop of a hat?

They’ve got a lot on their plates, parents.

All those milestones and expectations I listed above are just a few of the new experiences flooding your child’s life. Add in the homework, after-school activities, and possibly a new sleep schedule, and you’re bound to have some tantrum-filled days.

Consider the circumstances that used to send your toddler into a screaming, crying mess: fatigue, hunger, overstimulation and frustration. These are still the common tantrum triggers for your 5-year-old. We just expect them to handle it like a “big kid.”

Most of the time, our 5-year-olds can use their words. However, sometimes you’ve got a 5 year old who slept only eight hours the night before, a full day in kindergarten, soccer practice after school, a missed snack, and that beloved balloon that just floated away was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.

So, while knowing the why of your 5-year-old’s meltdown won’t necessarily stop the tantrum in its tracks, keeping your child on a consistent routine will…

Click here to read more of this week’s Dr.Mom column at The Sac Bee.

Has your 5 year old suddenly kicked those tantrums into high gear? What has helped in reducing them?