Muhammadiyah University Bandung Holds Seminar on Tackling Child Tantrums in the Digital Era

Tantrum behaviour in children is often perceived as naughtiness or a lack of discipline. In reality, behind these emotional outbursts lies a brain development process that is still ongoing and requires an appropriate response from parents. In the digital era, parenting challenges have become increasingly complex as children grow up alongside gadgets and exposure to technology from an early age. This condition was conveyed by Dr Esty Fatinisna, a lecturer in the Early Childhood Islamic Education (PIAUD) study programme at Universitas Muhammadiyah (UM) Bandung, during a National Children’s Day Seminar titled ‘Addressing Tantrum Behaviour in Children in the Digital Era’ held by the PIAUD programme on Monday (27/7). According to her, understanding tantrums cannot be limited to just the behavioural aspect. It is also necessary to examine how brain development, psychological conditions, and the digital environment shape a child’s emotional responses. ‘Tantrums are a condition that is still considered normal, especially in children aged two to three years. In this phase, children do not yet have the mature ability to control their emotions or convey their desires verbally,’ she asserted. However, Esty continued, parents need to start being vigilant if tantrums last too long, occur repeatedly with high intensity at an older age, or lead to self-harm or harm to others. She explained that from a neuroscience perspective, when a tantrum occurs, the part of the brain responsible for controlling emotions, the amygdala, works far more dominantly compared to the prefrontal cortex, which functions to regulate logic and decision-making. ‘This condition is what makes a child unable to think rationally when experiencing an emotional outburst. Therefore, scolding or punishing a child during a tantrum will not solve the problem,’ she added. Besides brain development factors, the digital era also presents new challenges for child growth and development. Excessive screen exposure can reduce a child’s opportunities to interact directly with their environment, communicate, or develop social skills and emotional regulation. As a result, children are more vulnerable to experiencing difficulties in controlling their feelings when facing frustration. According to Esty, Generation Alpha children have different characteristics compared to previous generations. They grow up in an environment that is highly connected to technology, giving them rapid visual learning abilities. ‘However, on the other hand, they are also at risk of experiencing dependency on gadgets, decreased empathy, and the emergence of individualistic behaviour if technology use is not balanced with adequate mentoring,’ she stressed. Esty emphasised that the ages of zero to six years are a golden period for brain development. During this period, every experience a child receives will shape the neural networks that become the foundation for future learning abilities, emotional control, and behaviour. Therefore, the quality of interaction between parents and children is far more important than simply providing access to digital devices. In parenting practice, Esty invited parents to apply a parenting style that is both warm and firm. Parents need to become ‘development architects’ who are able to provide emotional support, build positive communication, set consistent rules, and be role models in technology use. An authoritative or democratic approach is considered more effective than overly harsh or permissive parenting styles. She also introduced three main pillars of digital parenting. First, setting structured screen time limits. Second, accompanying children when using digital devices. Third, building exemplary behaviour from parents. In this way, children not only gain the benefits of technology but also learn to develop social skills, empathy, and self-control. ‘When a child has a tantrum, parents should remain calm, identify the cause of the emotional outburst, validate the child’s feelings, and then help the child calm down before engaging in a discussion to find a solution. An empathetic approach will help the child learn to manage their emotions gradually,’ she asserted. On another note, physical activity also plays an important role as a balance for children’s brain development. Playing outdoors, exercising, and interacting directly with family or peers are natural ways to improve focus, train cognitive flexibility, and build better emotional regulation. Esty stressed that success in educating children in the digital era is not determined by how quickly a child masters technology, but by the family’s ability to build a balance between technology utilisation, emotional closeness, and interaction in daily life. With appropriate mentoring, technology can become a beneficial learning tool without hindering a child’s social and emotional development.