How to Respond to a Tantrum

From the Mentor's Compass series.

In this episode of Mentor’s Compass, Head of Lower School, Colin Gleason, shares his experience on how to respond to a younger child throwing a tantrum by addressing the child’s real or perceived need or hurt.

Colin Gleason

About the author:

Colin Gleason


Colin Gleason serves as Head of the Lower School at The Heights, where he graduated in 1999. After college, he returned to his alma mater where he has taught a variety of classes: 3rd Grade Homeroom; Natural History; Chess; Storytelling; and currently, Moral Theology in the Upper School. He served four years as the Director of Admissions before taking on his current position as Head of the Lower School in 2010, overseeing his beloved Valley where he began as a student. Colin has also served as the Head Varsity Soccer Coach since 2010, and has been named Coach of the Year by the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and All Met Coach of the Year by the Washington Post. During the summer, Colin directs The Heights Soccer Camp and The Dangerous Camp for Boys. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Washington and Lee University and a Master of Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University. He and his wife, Nicole, and their five children live in Kensington.

Table of Contents


A Map to Help You Make the Most of The Forum

Explore