Minimizing Tantrums When Going Out

Leaving the house with a baby is always a cumbersome activity with the need to get baby ready, pack the diaper bag and just load everything in the car before starting out. It is usually made even more difficult as a baby grows older and becomes ‘difficult’. Tantrums are just a normal part of a baby’s development. They come about because the baby is learning about frustration but has not learnt enough to deal with it yet. Parents can help avoid or minimize the effects of tantrums by anticipating a baby’s needs and planning for even the simplest trip to the grocery store. Here are the strategies I use to make trips more pleasant.

The time chosen to leave the house is extremely important. It is best to embark on the outing as soon as the baby has woken up from a nap. Also, plan the trip so that you will be on your way home or already home before the baby needs his/her next nap. If you are unable to return home before the baby needs a nap, make sure to take note of the time and attempt to put the baby to sleep in the pram, sling or in your arms before the baby is overtire. An overtired baby is a tantrum landmine.

Leaving the house with baby means leaving the house with the diaper bag. So, what I usually do is to have the diaper bag always packed and ready to go. After each outing, I will refill the bag with diapers, wipes and anything else that’s needed. This removes the need to pack in a rush while on the way out.

A full stomach will also help to minimize the risk of any tantrums. Feed the baby at home, before leaving the house. As a ‘precaution’ I try to feed the baby again as soon as we arrive at our destination as well. Even a quick 5 minute feed does wonders in filling the baby, quenching thirst and calming a baby. During the time that we’re out of the house, I try to feed the baby every 2 hrs to keep him contented. It also makes breastfeeding in public a lot easier if you don’t have a starving baby trying to jump into your clothes.

The biggest tantrum trap for us is the car seat. The full stomach and time chosen for trips have helped but most of the time, the car seat is still a land mine. The strategy that we use is to have some car only toys available. I have a stash of toys that are only available to the baby when he is in the car seat. And, even these are rotated to minimize the risk of tantrums. The strategy works on some days and not others but I have found that as our baby approaches 1 yr, he is finding the view outside more interesting and is sometimes content to look out the window for the entire trip.

The strategies I have outlined have worked to varying degrees. A baby is just like you or me; sometimes they have good days and other times bad. Remember that tantrums are caused by their inability to express their frustrations so a little planning by parents may be able to help avoid these situations.