Michelle Nicholasen is a mother of triplet girls and, as anyone could imagine, she has survived some of the toughest situations a parent could dream of. She collaborates with preschool educational director Barbara O’Neal to share stories and tips on how to handle the day-to-day emotional outbursts of young children.

Many books out there give parents impractical step-by-step lists instructing them on how to handle temper tantrums, but I Brake for Meltdowns gets right to the core of the way we think about addressing our children. Instead of yelling and punishing a child for being upset, the authors suggest (depending on the age of the child) using each outburst as a learning experience for how to handle their emotions and cope with issues that affect them.

The first mechanism the authors suggest for a parent is to, at the very least, put on a convincing act – to be a calming force when a child is in the throes of a fit and show the child that, even when he or she is upset, there are appropriate ways to express such emotions. Further, ask questions to help the child understand why he or she is upset, and teach them more appropriate ways to approach similar situations in the future.

Nicholasen and O’Neal recognize that there are going to be times when a child is persistently disobedient and a timeout is in order. There may also be times when a child suddenly becomes dangerous to him or herself or others around him, which is where a physical but passive way of restraining called the “containment circle” comes in.

While the authors share a personal story here and there, they cover a broad spectrum of situations and a variety of ways to handle them. Overall, I Brake for Meltdowns is a great book with loads of helpful tips and information on handling the sometimes “exasperating” behavior of even the most precious child. Not only would I recommend it to first-time moms, but even the seasoned mother might be able to harvest some new ideas.