Staying with a tantrum

Your child is mid-meltdown and you need words that don't make it worse.

Try saying

“You're so upset. I'm right here.” Mid-meltdown on the kitchen floor
“It's okay to cry. I'm staying with you.” Mid-meltdown on the kitchen floor
“You don't have to be okay right now.” Mid-meltdown on the kitchen floor

For each age

Preschool (3–5)

“You're really upset right now.”
“I'm not going anywhere.”
“Take your time. I'll be here.”

Preschoolers can hear words but only after the storm peaks. Lead with presence, not logic.

Toddler (1–3)

“You're so upset. I'm right here.”
“It's okay to cry. I'm staying with you.”
“You don't have to be okay right now.”

Toddlers cannot regulate themselves. Your steady body is the intervention.