9 Terrible Tantrums Every Preschool Mum Can Look Forward To

Think tantrums end once your toddler enters the preschooler stage? 

Yep, so did I. And I was oh-so-very wrong.

Sure, the tantrums about taking naps and using the toilet may subside. But, even so, there is a whole new realm of reasons to spit the dummy when your kiddo enter this new phase of life.

So what tantrums can you look forward to after the terrible twos? What are the real reasons for preschooler tantrums?

Get excited (and get your wine glass ready) as we delve into the wonderful world of older children meltdowns. How many of these post-toddler tantrums can you tick off the list?

“I can’t sleep without my 18 teddies.” (lined up in an exact order)

Nighttime dramas never seem to end. In addition to the blanket being itchy, the room being too dark and requiring a drink of water, another common bedtime dilemma involves the panel of stuffed animals that must be present.

When one of these teddies happens to be in the wash or hiding somewhere in the house, sleep just isn’t a possibility anymore. But screaming the house down certainly is.

“The sun is following me.” 

This meltdown is especially designed for long car trips when your patience is already running thin. The problem? It’s sunny out. And the car happens to be positioned so that the sun is in your child’s line of vision.

Cue the waterworks and the demands to “make the sun stop being so sunny”. And cue your attempt to block out the sun by attaching a dirty jumper, a sandy towel or anything else you can find in your car’s boot, to the window.

“There’s a bump in my sock.” 

The bloody sock bump. If you have school-aged children, then you’ve probably encountered the sock bump and the meltdown it can cause in your morning routine chaos.

The sock bump usually occurs when you’re already running late, when your child is tired from a long week of school and when you’re about ready to throw his sock and his shoe out the door and give up on life.

“It’s not my birthday.” 

The odds are not really in your child’s favour with this one. And thus, parents can expect this meltdown 364 days a year.

It usually happens when it is someone else’s birthday, when you need to purchase a birthday gift for another child or when your child sees any sort of cake that doesn’t belong to him. So, pretty much every second weekend. 

“She got more juice than me.”

Welcome to sibling fight #2958 – that time I ruined lunch with my inadequate juice pouring skills.

Yes, you’re right. The amount of juice in your sister’s cup is possibly .02 millilitres more than yours. How will you ever move on from this catastrophe?

“I don’t know how to clean up my toys.”  

Making the mess is easy. But cleaning it up is physically impossible to a preschooler. Rolling around on the floor complaining about it is clearly the better option.

“WHY is my picture in the bin?”

Some mums hold on to every single scribble or drawing their children do. Some mums, like me, don’t. And thus, when you accidentally mistake a masterpiece for a piece of rubbish, hell ensues.

Sorry kids, but mummy cannot keep every single piece of paper with glued on spaghetti on it. It’s just not possible.

“I hate this food.”

Oh, really? That’s so strange because yesterday you ate THREE bowls of the very same meal. It’s amazing how taste buds can transform overnight.

“The toast is too toasty.”

Need more reasons for preschooler tantrums? Try fussy eating. It really does take on a whole new level once your wee one learns how to voice opinions on food. And, as it turns out, preschoolers are actually mini culinary critics in disguise, ready to pounce if you happen to leave the bread in the toaster for seven seconds too long.

Don’t even get me started on cutting the toast…

Goodbye tantrums, hellooooo arguments

The good news for parents with kiddies about to enter the preschooler stage is that you have a much better chance of being able to reason with older children, thus making the meltdown a lot less dramatic and lengthy. After all, their communication skills are much more advanced than toddlers.

But, so are their argumentative skills…

Regardless of whether you’ve been there, heard that, or are about to embark on this challenge, just remember that tantrums are part of the territory. Sure, we may not be able to stop them, but, hey, at least we can share a laugh and admit defeat together.

And, after dealing with toddler tantrums, you’re probably an expert on the fine art of monumental meltdowns by now anyway.

Looking for tips on tackling tantrums? Check out these 17 toddler taming tricks every parent should know.