Avoiding tantrums is possible. Here are 5 simple preventative strategies that will make you and your toddler's lives easier.

Why do temper tantrums occur? There are 2 reasons. Either the toddler is not capable of doing what he wants (e.g. when trying to do a jigsaw puzzle that is too difficult), or he is being stopped from doing it (he wants to take a puzzle that someone else is working on).

Whichever reason is behind the screaming fit, it is best to accept it as a normal part of growing up for a young child - armed with this knowledge, see how much calmer you are. In fact, start expecting outbursts to happen (this is different from expecting them to ruin your day).

Ask yourself which situations/triggers your child really cannot cope with. Is it possible to to avoid these altogether for the time being? How about: grocery trips, going out for a meal or chocolate and candy (these cause some youngsters to behave rashly).

Shop online, avoid restaurants and substitute crackers for cookies - at least for now. At this age children develop so fast that you never know when yours will suddenly be able to deal with previously nightmarish situations.

Avoid problems by watching out for games, toys or activities that are too complex for your child. When he does try out an unfamiliar task, be there to support him. Help out with a new puzzle, and guide him when he takes on new tasks like getting dressed.

Choose Your Battles

As adults, we do sometimes create the conditions for an outburst. Take the example of little Alice, happily engrossed in her toys. She is suddenly bundled into her coat and told she must come now - her father had forgotten he has an important letter to post, and they only have 5 minutes to do it. Daddy would do well to offer some treat rather than tell Alice off for wanting to stay home, so avoiding a potential screaming fit.

Substitution

Toddlers haven't yet learnt to cope with the disappointment of not getting their own way. Go easy on them - they have few social skills. Offering a substitute goes a long way to teaching young children to deal with this.

Is your little one starving but has to wait for you to cook the dinner? A cracker is a good compromise here.

The promise of a game or story makes up for having to leave an enjoyable play date.

Preventing temper tantrums is not always easy or possible, but with a little forward planning and tried-and-tested behavior strategies, you can make them shorter and less frequent.