(From the Sydney Mum archive, originally published 2015.)

Turning tantrums into a learning experience is what parents and children will do at a series of workshops to be held in May by Counsellor, mother of three and Sydney Mum writer, Luciana De Michiel. As Luciana explained, “Tantrums in children aged three and over are in most cases caused by the inability of the child to understand what is upsetting him. This makes it hard for him to express how he feels, and to explain what he wants to his parents. Imagine how frustrating it must be for a child! And we thought we were the victims here…” Luciana says children can be taught however, through role play and other exercises, to recognise and name their own emotions which gives them the ability to articulate and communicate to others how they feel and in turn learn to manage their behaviour by considering alternative responses to their feelings. This ability is called Emotional Intelligence and it’s essential in the development of successful social skills and problem solving later in life. With the help of parents, tantrums can become an invaluable opportunity of growth. Why not give your children a head start?