Stop engaging the tantrum is what the literature says is the best practice. IIRC fMRIs show not that the mind (prefrontal cortex) is in a loop but that the prefrontal cortex is entirely shut down and the limbic system is highly active. Basically they are just having a tiny breakdown because whatever it is they are chanting about was the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of how much challenge they can accept in a day. Luckily, the other side of it is a reset and they are back to 100% capacity. So just let it be and when the screams change from anger to sadness, hug it out and then move along as if it never happened.

It is we adults who are bothered by tantrums. Kids don’t even remember them. Because the memory parts of the brain are offline. We have a choice about whether we are bothered. We can choose not to be.

He has started bouncing on the trampoline. On the way to jumping!

[Kid’s name], stop exercising and get down here and eat some cake!