Calming Your Crying Baby/Toddler

Respond Sensitively, Responding to Tantrums and Strong Emotions, and More

This Principle is not complete without reading API's Eight Principles of Parenting Introduction -- important information for understanding the context API's Principles of Parenting.

You can build the foundation of trust and empathy by understanding and responding appropriately to your infant's needs. Babies communicate their needs in many ways including body movements, facial expressions, and crying. They learn to trust when their needs are consistently responded to with sensitivity.

Responding to Tantrums and Strong Emotions

Tantrums represent real emotions and as such should be taken seriously
Some emotions are too powerful for a young child's underdeveloped brain to manage in a more socially acceptable manner
A parent's role in tantrums is to comfort the child, not to get angry or punish her

Read more about Calming Your Crying Baby via the Links Below

Excellent resources for responding with sensitivity to children coping with disaster and helping them heal.
Super Nanny not Super - A mental health expert warns that fashionable advice to ignore your child's tears may cause lifelong harm
Dangers of "Crying It Out": Damaging children and their relationships for the longterm
Respond with Sensitivity - One of API's Eight Principles of Parenting
What does API think of families using "lovies"?
Read other ways to Respond with Sensitivity on APtly Said (blog)
Discuss ways to calm a crying child on the API Forums

The Attached Family

API's The Attached Family online magazine, updated weekly with articles on a variety of topics, is an extension of the quarterly The Attached Family print magazine. The following articles on Calming Your Baby are accessible at no cost on The Attached Family online magazine. Please consider joining API to help support API's ability to continue providing this information.