Most people would be surprised to see 7 Year Old Temper Tantrums.
It’s frightening to think that older children can suddenly have mini meltdowns, become unnecessarily defiant and throw massive tantrums for no apparent reason.
However, it does happen and it can be very distressing for any parent:
The good news is you’re not the only parent frustrated about your 7 year old temper tantrums. However, you must be cautious about how you manage this phase and help your impulsive child.
Read on to know how to deal with temper tantrums and take control of situations at home.
Managing 7 Year Old Tantrums
Some think that when an older child throws a tantrum they are spoiled or are being disrespectful.
The reality is, however, a tantrum is a way to communicate that something is wrong and they may just be unable to express it correctly.
It’s very common to see 7 year old emotional meltdowns when older children are still finding ways to express their feelings.
This means that no matter what age a child they can act out, throw tantrums and have min meltdowns if they feel that the communication between parent and child has broken down
Usually, as children grow up their emotions mature and they are able to express stronger emotions.
For example their desires, frustrations, anxieties and fears.
But it’s not unusual for 7 year old emotional meltdowns to occur if there has been a breakdown in learning or growth.
External factors can also play a key role in 7 year old temper tantrums so it’s important you go deep and get to the core reason behind it.
5 Reasons for 7 Year Old Temper Tantrums
1. Emotional Control
Managing 7 year old tantrums is complicated. Different children have different emotional triggers.
This means that they can experience stronger feelings due to the environment around them.
Ultimately. this is could be linked to a character or personality trait and means that some children are more susceptible to higher emotional outburst then others.
If they aren’t able to vent their emotions effectively then they can spill over into tantrums, meltdowns and general disruptive behaviour.
This can be one of the main causes for 7 Year Old Temper Tantrums.
2. Behavioural Conditions
It’s not uncomoon for older children to suffer from a particular type of behavioural condition.
Some common behavioural conditions are:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
It’s important to remember that some types of behaviour is commonly associated with these conditions.
Example are, Inattention, Hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.
These could be a valid reason why your 7 year old has screaming tantrums.
3. Fear, Anxiety & Stress
If your child struggles with ways to express or vent emotions there’s a high chance you’ll see 7 year old meltdowns.
Although older children are very capable of expression, they can sometimes lack the emotional skills to cope with bigger emotions.
Stress and fear are a common theme amongst older children as they become more exposed to the typical uncertainties of older life.
Children are often good at hiding their feelings and if strong emotions like fear, guilt and anger go unchecked then go boil over leading to tantrums and meltdowns.
This can result in a barrier between what they want to express and how they do it.
Not being able to express your emotions effectively is a contributing factor to 7 Year Old Temper Tantrums.
4. Learning Difficulties
If your child has a learning difficulty and finds it hard to concentrate in school then they may resort to disruptive behaviour as a coping mechanism.
A good example of this is dyslexia, which affects the ability to interpret words letters and other symbols correctly.
It’s an under research area but many learning disorders can go unnoticed for years.
Complications can arise when you find out that your child has been suffering from undiagnosed or undeveloped learning difficulties for long periods of time.
This grey area is a big reason 7 Year Old Temper Tantrums arise as children find it harder to translate the issue to parents or teachers.
5. Over Stimulation & Autism
Some kids are very sensitive to their environment and can act out as a way to cope with.
This can increase the pressure they are under.
Conditions of over stimulation are:
Flickering or bright lights,
Loud or a sudden burst of noise
Being in crowds for long periods
These conditions could trigger a response that may be linked to an acute type of autism.
6. Attention
Some children throw tantrums to gain attention.
It’s not uncommon for 7 year old temper tantrums to happen as a way to crave attention.
Children need attention and if they are unable to receive it by positive behaviour they can resort to negative behaviour as a means of fulfilling their needs.
Managing 7 Year Old Tantrums
1. Acknowledge
When you see an uncontrollable temper tantrums 7 year-old episode, the first thing to do is to acknowledge your child is feeling emotionally overwhelmed and needs some extra attention.
Resist the urge to reason with your child when they are very angry or frustrated.
In this state it is very difficult for your child to see any sense in what you are saying and they will probably be very wound up.
Instead just acknowledge that they are in fact having a tantrum remain calm and be patient.
2. Be Clear & Consistent
Once you have acknowledged that a tantrum is underway be precise the the way you habdle it. For example:
“Sweetie I understand that you feel upset that your friend’s party has been cancelled last minute and you got all dressed up for it. Let’s think about something else we can do instead so we can still have fun today”
Try to provide a reasonable solution to the tantrum without adding fuel to it.
For example saying, “There is nothing I can do about it” is not going to help the situation or help calm your child down.
Instead be clear in what you say and consistent in your message.
Your role is to let your child know that you understand what they are going through and will continue to support them once they calm down.
This is a smart way to avoid 7 year old meltdowns.
3. Calmness is Key
Be as calm as possible and show your child that throwing a tantrum isn’t an acceptable way to express their emotions.
Instead, focus on finding a realistic solution to their problem and promote relaxation.
For example ask your child to “breath in and out several times” or try to distract them with a funny story or funny video.
Your aim is to get them out of the rage state and into a more natural state so you can begin help them work through their emotions correctly.
Smart things you can ask them is to: “Use their words” or “What could I do to make things better”
4. Look For Triggers
It’s very common for 7 year olds and older kids to have temper tantrums at particular times of the day.
Try to discover what gets them upset and what times of days it happens more frequently. For example:
Do they get emotionally distressed when it’s bedtime or time to do homework?
Are they showing signs of anger more before school?
Do they lash out or show oppositional behaviour towards 1 parent more than another?
Tantrums can often occur in older kids when they have to turn off an electric device, like Games Consoles, iPads, or TV programs.
Try to give them a long enough warning so they are prepared for the end of screen time.
This will help to minimize the impact when your 7 year old has screaming tantrums
Related Post: Can 7 Year Olds Take Tums? Expert Opinion on Children and Antacids
5. Ignore it
One method of dealing with 7 Year Old Temper Tantrums is to ignore it.
Whilst this does work it’s not always the best approach as the tantrums can sometimes get worse.
When safe to do, try to ignore the symptoms of a tantrum (screaming, yelling hitting etc)
Once they have calmed down try to show a more proactive approach to understand the reasons behind the disruption.
This will help to stop it from reoccurring again in the future.
By following the guidelines above you’ll be much better equipped to proactively parent 7 Year Old Temper Tantrums.
Here’s a quick video on How To Calm An Angry Child.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.