Most parents have had to deal with temper tantrums. Those that haven’t may be about to. Very soon. “I want BOTH! You are really mean!” When those or similar words pop out of a young child’s mouth, most adults are at a loss how best to respond to the ensuing meltdown. Not any more. Wouldn’t it be great if there was help in the form of say… a children’s picture book written by a psychotherapist that teaches children AND parents how to deal with temper tantrums? By a strange coincidence just such a book will be released this May.
In Jilly’s Terrible Temper Tantrums and How She Outgrew Them (Smart Love Press), bestselling author Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D. shows how strong but perfectly normal feelings like anger and frustration can lead to hysterical outbursts, and how it is possible for children and parents to deal successfully with those feelings and resolve the tantrums without punishing, yelling, isolating, giving in or bribing. In a few short pages, and in a caring and reassuring manner, Pieper conveys some big emotional truths about the inner lives of young children.
Like most children, Jilly is unhappy when she doesn’t get her way. “No, No, No. Play with me now!! I don’t like her anymore!! I want TWO toys!!” In the first three episodes, Jilly’s parents respond to her anger and frustration in a firm but loving manner. By the fourth episode, in which the block tower she is building keeps toppling, Jilly has come to understand both that seeking help and comfort is superior to the misery of a tantrum and also that true happiness doesn’t come from the gratification of any particular desire, but from the warmth and support available within the family.
The parents in Jilly’s Terrible Temper Tantrums handle the outbursts beautifully, showing Jilly that you can’t always get your way but you can always have a smile and a hug. It’s a powerful lesson about empathy and love, one that affirms Jilly’s experience and leads her and the book’s audience toward greater understanding and a path to healthy emotional development. Once Jilly’s frustration is acknowledged and dealt with positively, Jilly can respond constructively to the inevitable moments when things don’t go as she wishes.
The author, Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D. (www.marthaheinemanpieperphd.com/) is a psychotherapist who works with children and parents, and serves as a consultant to agencies and other mental health professionals. She authored the first book in this series, the award-winning Mommy, Daddy, I Had a Bad Dream! And she co-authored with William J. Pieper, M.D., the bestselling parenting book Smart Love: The Comprehensive Guide to Understanding, Regulating, and Enjoying Your Child and the popular adult self-help book Addicted to Unhappiness. For over 35 years, she has counseled parents and helped children of all ages recover from emotional problems. Her work is the foundation for the non-profit agency Smart Love Family Services (www.smartlovefamily.org), which provides a broad spectrum of counseling and educational services to children and families. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Radcliffe College, she earned her doctorate at the University of Chicago.
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WIN: 24/7 Moms and Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D. are giving away a Jilly’s Terrible Temper Tantrums and How She Outgrew Them book.
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Disclaimer: I have teamed up with Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D. in support of this campaign. We received compensation for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.