Researcher’s May Have Found The Solution to Your Kid’s Tantrum, And It’s Not Using a Potato

If there is one behavior parents would love to know how to handle better, it would be toddler tantrums.

Most times, parents can explain the reason for the tantrum. Often it’s because of a change in routine like a missed nap, or hunger or being told ‘no’.

When a child tantrums, parents will point to the problem, but researchers believe there may be another reason why children throw a tantrum.

A new study from the University of Michigan has found parents who spend a lot of time on their cell phones may be contributing to their children’s behavioural problems.

“We know that parents’ responsiveness to their kids changes when they are using mobile technology and that their device use may be associated with less-than-ideal interactions with their children,” senior author Jenny Radesky said in an interview. “It’s really difficult to toggle attention between all of the important and attention-grabbing information contained in these devices, with social and emotional information from our children, and process them both effectively at the same time.”

The research team asked 170 US families how much they use certain devices and how often they interrupted time spent with their children. The families were then asked to rate their children’s behavior from whining and sulking, to full blown-meltdowns and various other behaviours in between.

The study found a correlation between interruptions by technology and children’s behavior.

According to Radesky, a direct connection can’t be assumed until further analysis and evaluation, but the results do suggest checking a smart phone when having one-on-one time with your child may be causing more damage than good.

The study is the first of its kind to draw a connection between mobile phone use and negative behavior in children.

The solution may be to use a mobile phone when the kids are napping or organise a few device-free hours where your child has your full attention. This lifestyle adjustment may see a change in your child’s behavior. The hardest part is for parents to actually do it.