By admin 
The brain’s ability to control emotions is relatively immature in younger children and may take until at least their early twenties to fully mature.
This means that in times of fatigue, stress, new and/or overly stimulating environments, “self-control” can be tested or even lost.
WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A RAID
Parents can act as a proxy frontal lobe and help their child regain balance between their thoughts, feelings and the demands of a sometimes chaotic Christmas atmosphere.
In these circumstances, the child needs the parent(s) to stay connected and use a calm voice to bring them into a more balanced (or regulated) state. Parents might say something like, “I can see you’re feeling upset right now. It’s okay – there’s a lot to do over the Christmas period. I’m here. Do you need a hug?”
Remember that a child’s behavior is not random; it is a means of communicating a need. They may need sleep, something to drink, comfort and/or some rest.
So keep an eye out for those grumpy signs so everyone can enjoy the festivities.
Catherine E Wood is an associate professor and clinical psychologist at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. This comment appeared for the first time on The Conversation.