Whistle or sing something upbeat. Who can avoid smiling when someone breaks into song? It will show that your mood isn’t being affected by the tantrum, and encourage your child to shift into a more happy – and hopefully cooperative – mood. Rousing renditions of "Row Row Row Your Boat" or "The Wheels on the Bus" are two favorite songs to help shift the mood and help a grouchy child snap out of an unexpected meltdown.

Ann Hermes/The Christian Science Monitor/FILE
Molly and 2 year old Anna Zytkovicz sing together during the Wiggle Words program for toddlers from birth to 2 years old at the Memorial Hall Library in Andover, Massachusetts on November 17, 2010.