Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

I take Kevin to classes at Music Together and some library programs. Whenever its time to give back the musical instrument or toys he starts crying and screaming.

How can I help him understand that cleaning up and giving back the toys is part of playing and not to get so upset.

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

is he new to this type of class?
I think a big thing is the repitition and just the experience from having been through it again and again, seeing other kids do it, etc. seeing other kids get "good boy"s when they help out.

He seems young too, how old is he?

dont worry, it's totally normal!

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

This is the section "semester" of music classes he's taken. He's 19 months.

He sees the other kids putting the instruments away but when I take him over the the storage bin he refuses the put the instrument in the box and screams when I take it out of his hands.

He calms down pretty quickly but I feel bad that he gets so upset.

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

I'm wondering if he is too young to understand a "warning" - so, you can say, "5 more minutes, and then music is all done, and we put away" - say it several times so he knows.

You may want to even show him the basket or point to the basket when you say it, repeating while he is playing, "almost done, and then its time to...(something they do right after they put the music away - sing a song?)

Also - practice at home - get some musical instruments and a basket, and practice putting away - give him a nice reward after he does it.

HTH

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

Julia is almost 19 months, and I take her to a library class, and I notice when I tell her to give the toy or glue (craft time) back to the teacher she gets so excited and runs over and hands it to her, then we usually clap after cause she was such a great helper, and Julia claps too! Its cute!

Maybe you can do that, or tell the library teacher when Kevin brings something to her or puts something away, have her clap to show he did a great job!

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

Thanks for the tips!

Kevin is clever. When the teacher comes over to take back the toy or instrument he sometimes hides it behind his back or gets such a grip on it I have to pry it out of his hands.

I think I'll try practicing at home and get him used to cleaning up and putting things away. Maybe when he sees that he can put things away and still play with them again later on he won't be so upset when it comes time to clean up at class.

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

Posted by anna

is he new to this type of class?
I think a big thing is the repitition and just the experience from having been through it again and again, seeing other kids do it, etc. seeing other kids get "good boy"s when they help out.

He seems young too, how old is he?

dont worry, it's totally normal!

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

The first time I ever brought Jared to a class like that he FLIPPED out and was screaming. He even bit me that day when he had to put the toys back. He was much younger and probably shouldn't have been in that class. So I understand what you're feeling.

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

My friends daughter does the same thing at music classes when its time to "pass on your instruments to the person beside you" what she does is to make sure that Scarlett has 2 instruments, so that she can pass one on while playing with another.

I have no advice from my own child, because he is too aloof to care that I am taking something away from him!!

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

For a while now, we play a game where we ask Alex to put her toys away with us, or to help us throw things in the garbage. Now, to her, it's a game, so she gets very excited when I ask her to help me put something away, and we all clap together. I suggest you start working on this at home, when you put things away - make a game out of it and get very excited for him when he does it with you

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

There is a little boy in our Music Together class that does the same thing with the instruments. Our teacher (or is it leader? or whatever) is very good about it and tells the little boy to hold on to it for as long as he needs to. We move on to the next toy and when he is ready to give up the first, he has to place it back in the box before grabbing another one. Maybe you can ask the leader what they have done in the past to make it less traumatic for your little one. I can't imagine that yours is the first child they have had in their class to go through this

Re: Need Help - Temper Tantrums at Classes

We started getting him to put things away at home. There's an episode (I think it's the King of Swing) on Jack's Big Music Show where they sing a song called "Clean it up."

So when he has all his toys out and we what him to put thing away, we'll sing the song. He gets right to it and won't stop til it's all done. When he's done we'll clap and say "All done, YAY!"