Mom reveals hilarious tip for handling her toddler's tantrum: 'Works every time'

Tantrums are very common, especially in children between the ages of 1 and 4. The early years, between 1 and 4, are sometimes referred to as the "terrible 2s". More than half of toddlers throw tantrums at least once a week as they vent their frustration and protest their lack of control. While they're an integral part of a toddler's repertoire, tantrums can worry parents. When they happen infrequently, tantrums are not a big deal and are best ignored. That is when they become frequent or intense, parents need to find out the cause and find ways to prevent it. If your toddler's tantrums are testing your patience, try Zoomies. According to one Georgia mother, your baby not only stops crying but also feels calmer.

Zoomies, or Frenzy Random Activity (FRAPS), is the term used to describe when dogs suddenly start running to burn off energy. A common cause of zoomies is the excessive build-up of energy that the dog clings to, which is then released in a large burst. “POV: This is how you gentle parent when your toddler is on the verge of a meltdown…zoomies!” Alivia Cromartie captioned a video on her TikTok account @jusssliv that has been seen more than 15 million times. See the hack in action on Cromaterie's Instagram: The 18-month-old daughter of Cromartie, Icey, is shown in the video clearly upset and sobbing. Cromartie, 26, swiftly diffused the circumstance, though, by circling in place. The little girl's grumpiness dissipates, and she begins laughing. Many viewers were moved to tears when the video ended with Cromartie and an upbeat Icey exchanging a bear hug. 

Cromartie told TODAY that Icey was "cranky" because she was starving. She explains, "Icey gets upset when her food takes too long. Fortunately, Cromartie understood just what to do before the temper tantrum got out of hand." “I’ve done zoomies in a grocery store. I’ll run up and down the aisles. I don’t care who sees,” she shares. “Distracting my kid is the key," Cromartie adds that she has gotten numerous letters from fans who have tried the hack on their own kids. "It works!" they exclaim, she says. "I believe that people are startled, but it actually works," One user commented in the comments section of the Instagram video, saying, "This is wonderful, so glad I never had to deal with meltdowns. My babies loved to laugh."

Gentle parenting is now being adopted by more and more parents today. A 2024 report from the Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that 74% of Millennial parents now practice gentle parenting, a style built on empathy, boundaries, and emotional validation. The shift may be due to growing access to resources on respectful parenting, but whatever the reason, it’s clear this generation is redefining how children are raised.

Another instance of a mom calming her child when he is evidently upset is that of a 5-year-old boy. In a TikTok video, as he left their house, Destiny Bennett's 5-year-old son was shivering with wrath. She made the decision to soothe him down by telling him how much she loved him, and gradually, he began to calm down. Bennett, a mother of three from Las Vegas, demonstrated the importance of good parenting in forming a child's worldview and character by using her love for her child to calm him down. Bennett was unaware that the tender moment had been recorded on their door camera at the time of the incident.

She continues by pointing out that sometimes not everything goes as planned, but she never minimizes or invalidates his sentiments. Getting what we desire can occasionally make us feel better, but this isn't always the case. And expressing anger is acceptable. But after that, we must be able to let it go and realize that we won't get it, so we must find another means to soothe our bodies. I require your love. Okay? Before giving him a hug, she says, "I love you. Let’s have a good day today, okay?" There is no appropriate way to handle a situation like that, she said on Instagram. "Every technique doesn’t always work, and I don’t always know the right thing to say. Sometimes I have to use every fiber of my being just to stay calm and quiet my inner trauma," she wrote. 

You can follow Alivia Cromartie (@jusssliv) on TikTok for more effective parenting content.

This article originally appeared 2 years ago.