Handling Fussy Preschoolers

People have often heard of the "terrible twos" and the "terrible threes," but preschoolers can be a handful too. When you're trying to get everyone ready to go out, it can be very overwhelming to have a screaming or fussy preschooler. How can you handle some of the most common situations?

Refusal to Eat

Some little ones simply do not want to eat anything that is put in front of them. A major cause of this is parents who will cater to their every whim. Instead of making your preschooler a brand new dinner when everyone is eating something else, refuse to cave in. Going to bed hungry for one night is not going to hurt him or her, and your child will likely soon realize that the meal you make is the only one being served.

Denying Warm Clothes

Preschoolers often love to fight about wearing warm coats, scarves, sweaters and mittens. If they do not want to wear their warm attire on a chilly day, tell them that they cannot go outside until they do so. Of course, sometimes it's not that easy, especially when you're trying to get them to school. You'll need to get the coat on them to keep them warm, but once they are home from school, give them a brief time out as a reminder of the chaos in the morning.

Offering Some Choices

Of course, all of the aforementioned tips do not mean that your child should be void of any choices. You just need to find a way to work them into your own schedule. For example, on the weekends, ask your preschooler if he or she would like pancakes or eggs for breakfast or if a trip to the farm or the museum would be more desired. These choices are not harmful for your youngster, and they help to show preschoolers that they can be involved in the decision making process at certain time periods and for certain types of choices.

Diverting Attention

Sometimes, especially if your child is having a temper tantrum in a public place, you're going to need to divert his or her attention. Now, you do not want to whip out the iPad every time that your child makes a little whimper. However, if your preschool is screaming and crying in the doctor's office, bring out one of his or her favorite books or toys to provide some amusement until the fit has calmed down a bit. At home, you can try moving to another room or deciding to go out for a little ride in the car until your preschooler has had some time to relax and get over the issue that sparked this fussiness in the first place.

Dealing with fussiness is certainly difficult. Children become angry and sad, and the parents become extremely frustrated. Before letting yourself go completely crazy though, you need to at least give the aforementioned suggestions a good try to see if they work out well for you and your family.

Author Pam Johnson has been a preschool teacher for over a decade and has learned all the tricks of the trade to handling fussy preschoolers. Pam obtained her Masters in Teaching Degree to be qualified to teach preschoolers.