Parenting a toddler is hard work, with five million toddler tantrums taking place in Australian homes every day, and mealtimes taking the cake as the ultimate battleground for parental power struggles.

Bill Woods is joined by Dr Golly (Daniel Golshevsky), Paediatrician and Co-founder of Toddler Toolkit, about their new research revealing that seven in 10 (70%) parents of toddlers, experience at least one daily power struggle, and one in five (20%) experience more than five every day.

While tantrums are taking place more frequently at home, they’re at minimum a weekly occurrence for almost three-quarters (73%) of parents, leaving them feeling frustrated (49%), embarrassed (43%), guilty (24%) and even depressed (16%).

Parents say mealtimes, bedtimes and getting their toddlers dressed are the most challenging, with more than half (54%) admitting these events will result in a power struggle.

One in two (53%) parents also reveal that leaving the playground often results in a tantrum, while one in two (44%) often experience a battle getting in or out of the car.

As end of year exhaustion sets in and emotions run high for parents and toddlers alike, Dr Golly is encouraging parents to take a step back and take control of their own emotions first, before responding to their child’s behaviour.

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