Parenting

What's the TV policy at your home in general?

If you're otherwise restricting screen time, but when he's crying you make an exception, you might have accidentally incentived him to cry... which isn't to say that he's doing it intentionally... Just that a real comfortable pattern has been established.

Everyone has a parenting scheme, so take anything you hear with a grain of salt...

But, I think it'd maybe be worth considering just cutting TV entirety for a little while? See how it goes? Probably a rough few days but you'll both find a new normal. If you're digging the new normal, keep it up. If not, go back.

I think focusing on different ways to calm down is going to help a lot more here AND set up for success in the future. I put this in another comment, but I utilize the following when my kid gets wound up:

Going for walks

Cuddling and hugs (I always ask if he wants a hug, most of the time he will say yes. If he says no, I move on to another suggestion)

Talking about and identifying our feelings (It looks like you're feeling angry right now. How does it make you feel when XYZ happens? When I feel ____, I like to do _____ to feel better, do you want to try? etc, etc)

Drawing a picture of how we feel

Taking deep breaths (breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth)

All that to say, I'm not a parent that outlaws screen time. As an adult, I will often watch a movie for comfort or something similar. It's certainly one way to help distract, but I don't think it should be the ONLY way.

Piggybacking off jared, model good behavior when dealing with "big feelings". Give your son the language t describe his feelings and help him talk it through. Start with something like, "wow, it must have been really frustrating when you thought you were getting those toys and didn't. I would have been pretty sad about that too. Is that how you feel?" Then build on that over time. Start asking what he thinks should be done about it. It's going to take time, effort, and repetition. It will be painful for both of you, but talking about it out loud together through all sorts of scenarios as they happen will give him the tools and language to build emotional intelligence.

No. Well, not always. Learning to self sooth and calm down when they don't have outside resources to help, is an important developmental skill all kids need to learn.

Help him find other distractions and interests, and let him talk out what he's upset about. Also be mindful of how you react to things they will copy what they see, both positive and negative.

Nope. At his age recommendation are 4-6h per week.