Tantrums are a normal part of developmentTantrums can be a tough part of parenting – especially when your child begins to lash out at you. While these emotional outbursts are a completely normal part of development; for some parents, being screamed, hit and kicked at for almost 20 minutes can be distressing – particularly as their child gets bigger and stronger.Recently, a parent admitted to “slapping” their six-year-old after he began hitting her hard mid-tantrum. “I was calm and trying to calm him down, and holding him in my arms with his back towards me so he can’t hit me. Then he started to bite me,” the guilt-filled parent recalled in a Reddit post.“He escaped my arms and literally threw himself on me, raining punches. Something broke in me and I slapped his face. I feel like the most horrible person on earth.”Most of the responses to the parent’s post were sympathetic to the situation and suggested taking the child to therapy. One parent said their daughter had similar behaviours and has since been diagnosed with autism and ADHD.It got me thinking, is there a point where a child’s rage and anger isn’t just a tantrum anymore, and perhaps needs exploring further? Here’s what therapists had to say about it...What is a tantrum