Mom’s simple ice cube hack to deal with her toddler's tantrum is a masterclass in parenting

One mom on TikTok (@newenglandrunnr) is inspiring many with a simple yet very effective hack she uses to deal with her son's tantrums. Going by the verdict of many parents, an ice cube is all it takes to instantly calm your child down. When a child throws tantrums, they scream, cry, and at times, even roll on the floor. At that moment, parents may find it very difficult to handle them, especially if they haven't experienced children's ever-changing moods before. However, parents on TikTok swear by this hack, which could be a game-changer. In the viral video, the mom reveals that she treats her child's tantrums just like an anxiety attack in an adult.

She claims that before calming down the child mentally, it is very important to control the body’s physical response. As reported by Your Tango, in the TikTok video, the woman says, “One of my favorite things to do right now with my 3-year-old when he's having a really tough time is I will give him an ice cube and I will just let him throw it in the bathtub. It instantly calms him down." She said that the child immediately agrees to do what his mom says, as he gets to regulate his emotions by throwing something, while making sure he's safe, of course. The cold from the ice cube also soothes the nervous system and distracts the child, as Motherly suggests.

This hack is said to work wonders in instantly calming the child. As soon as the child's reactions seem to be under control, parents can then address their behavior by talking to them when they are ready to listen. Several other parents who have already tried this hack, and other similar ones, to control their kids’ tantrums, quickly took to the comment section to share the results. One TikTok user, @madpalms, shared, “It's also teaching a healthy outlet for anger/frustration/anxiety so he doesn't let it bottle up.”

A fellow parent, @katiepunkin, added, “My favorite for my oldest is to enter a complain-off and we take turns venting about all the things we’re mad about. She needs to see that I understand emotionally what she’s going through.” Similarly, @nikiyasgotquestions chimed in, “This is genius bc as an adult who gets overstimulated easily, I look back and think 'ohh my mom wasn’t mad at ME she was mad at the circumstances' but to understand as a child would’ve helped a lot!” @hayjay405 hilariously shared, “If my toddler is having a meltdown before bed, I hold her up next to the ceiling fan (caged, no risk of her grabbing it) and I say 'cooling down the baby' and she is so pleased by this, thank god hahaha.”

As for adults, health experts advise their patients with anxiety to place an ice cube at the back of their neck for instant relief. Doing this is supposed to slow down the body's stress response, thus reducing anxiety. Another effective way to calm down is to wash your face with cold water. In case of children, their tantrums are just as troublesome as any anxiety attack. Children tend to throw tantrums when they fail to express their desires or emotions verbally. Therefore, following these simple hacks will help them a lot in the long run.