For parents of preschoolers, there comes a time – often in the evening – known as “the storm before the calm.”  It can also come about during the day if expectations of some kind are not met, or perhaps if a child is just “hangry.”  Our preferred solution was to remain calm and tell them to pause, take a breath, and “use your words.”  Once children have the words to express their feelings, they are much better equipped to match their behavior to social norms and achieve their goals.  This approach, while often called-for, is not a wise choice for use on another adult.