Mumbai, February 19 – Actress Ishita Dutta has shared a video on her social media account where she discusses dealing with toddler tantrums, further revealing how she manages her two-and-a-half-year-old son, Vayu's, emotional outbursts.
The actress suggests that instead of constantly adopting a gentle parenting approach, a more balanced approach is necessary, where parents remain calm while their toddlers are throwing a tantrum and do not beat themselves up if they themselves experience emotional breakdowns at times.
Sharing her experience, she said, "Vayu is two and a half years old, and I have seen a significant change in his personality. One of the biggest changes is that he wants to do things independently. This can be simple things like eating on his own, wearing his clothes, putting on his shoes, and tying his shoelaces. However, he is still young, so he cannot do everything. This frustrates him, leading to a meltdown."
She further explained, "I have tried everything – yelling, being strict, being extremely sweet, even crying with him. But I realized that once a meltdown starts, there's nothing you can do. You just have to wait. I sit with him and tell him that it's okay, and I remain calm."
She added, "I give him choices. Instead of doing things for him, I ask him if he wants me to feed him or cut his food into small pieces. Instead of opening the cupboard, I present him with two options and ask him to choose. This makes him feel heard and independent, but I am still guiding the decision. You have to keep repeating yourself. It may feel like he will never understand, but one day it will sink in. Sometimes, it's okay to give in to a tantrum – not because you've lost, but because you can explain it later when they are calm."
The Drishyam actress concluded, "There are days when I handle his temper well, and there are days when I don't. And that's okay. I hope sharing this helps someone. This phase is difficult not just for the child, but also for the parents."
Regarding Ishita Dutta, the actress married actor Vatsal Sheth in 2017. The couple welcomed their first child, son Vayu, in 2023, and their second child, a daughter, in 2025. On the work front, Ishita Dutta was last seen in Delhi De Pyaar De 2 alongside Ajay Devgn, Rajul Preet Singh, R Madhavan, Gautami Kapoor, and is now set to appear in the third installment of the Drishyam franchise.