If there's one thing every child is guaranteed to do, it's have a tantrum.
When a tantrum starts, we never know how long it's going to last, and when they kick off in public – that's a whole other story.
If you're looking for a way to minimise your child's reaction and get them calm as soon as possible, then this mental health nurse has the trick for you.
Mental health nurse Jennifer Johnson told the
Huffington Post that there is one trick that can help a lot of parents avoid things kicking off altogether.
While tantrums are completely normal for children, especially toddlers, they can be a lot to deal with – so what's the trick?
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Jennifer says it is simple, all you need to do is ask your child to focus on their breathing.
“Younger children might not understand what you mean by this so tell them to look at their tummy going up and down,” she explains.
The aim of this is to help your child avoid becoming overwhelmed. It is also key to stay in "positive parent mode" when they are having a tantrum, be supportive rather than letting them know you are stressing.
Jennifer recommends to keep your voice low and smooth or take your child to a quieter area until they have calmed down.
“When the child is calm, parents can explain why they’re there and remind them there’s something exciting at the end of the flight,” adds Johnson.
"Once they’ve calmed, you might also want to say something like: “I am really pleased you are calm now. Thank you for listening to me"."
