HaLeiVi,
What do you tell a child who wants to down a quart of ice cream?
“The ice cream was really good, wasn’t it? I’d love to have more too, but too much ice cream would make us feel sick. So let’s put it away.”
“We can have more ice cream tomorrow.”
“Oh, that ice cream is for a different time, let’s put it back.”
(In a growly cave man voice) “Mmmm ice cream good! Will gobble up whole thing! Glumyumyumyumyumyum (pretend to eat the whole thing, box included). Yuck! Box! Feh feh! Oooooh owww tummy ache. Better put this away quick so you don’t get a tummy ache too.”
Will those types of responses prevent a tantrum? For a tired or hungry kid, probably not. But they get the message across without emotional hurt.