When Children Have a Low Tolerance Towards Frustration

Some children have a low tolerance towards frustration. When they experience a frustration, they respond with a backlash of strong emotion. This sometimes includes yelling, screaming, crying, and fit throwing. It is often the initial response of care givers to want to remove the frustration so that the emotion will not be felt. A better approach is to allow the child to experience frustration on a small level and then gradually increase that level until they can tolerate large amounts of frustration. The child can be taught positive ways to manage their frustration, but they will not use those coping strategies if there is an easier way for them to express themselves. If the child feels emotions deeply, they might find it easier to scream than to use a positive coping strategy. Deterrents, such as consequences, should be in place to make the poor response to frustration a less desirable path than the positive response to frustration. The parent should limit interaction during the consequence, so the attention will not inadvertently reinforce the undesirable behavior. The parent should give an outpouring of love after the consequence has been completed, so the child continues to feel secure in their relationship with the parent. The parent should offer praise, every time the child makes attempts at managing their emotions in an appropriate manner.