26. Does Attention Reward the Tantrum?

26. Does Attention Reward the Tantrum?

From Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) by Dr. Gila

March 10, 2026 · 19 min · Season 1 · Episode 26

About this episode

This episode explores whether giving attention during a child's tantrum rewards the behavior and how to comfort without reinforcing it.

If you give your child attention during or after a tantrum, are you rewarding the behavior and making things worse? When your child is upset and acting out, how do you offer comfort without unintentionally reinforcing the behavior? Those are the questions we’re unpacking in today’s episode. You'll hear why this advice is so common, what “working” actually means in parenting, and why the lens you use to interpret your child’s behavior changes how you respond. Related resources: ⭐️ [Episode 7] Why Kids "Lose It": What's Beneath the Big Behaviors ⭐️ [FREE guide] Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ ❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ CONNECT WITH DR. GILA 👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox. 🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com ✉️ E-mail: hello@drgilaparenting.com ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ ©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Gila

Topics covered

  • tantrums
  • parenting strategies
  • child behavior
  • emotional comfort
  • reinforcement

Keywords

  • tantrum
  • parenting
  • behavior
  • comfort
  • reinforcement
  • emotional response
  • child development

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