Anger is a common and healthy emotion. However, many children find it difficult to distinguish between angry emotions and aggressive actions. When children lack the skills to control their emotions, frustration and anger can easily turn into resistance, disrespect, violence, and temper tantrums.
Childhood aggressiveness, such as fighting, shouting, yelling, spitting, and taunting, can result in further problems if left unchecked. For example, anger and depression have been connected to adult mental illness, peer rejection, and issues with academic performance. Use these five techniques to teach anger control to children who struggle to control their emotions. If your child goes out of control, you need professional help or child anger management therapy.
How to Manage Your Child’s Anger
- Differentiate between feelings and behavior
- Demonstrate anger control skills
- Establish guidelines for controlling your child’s anger
- Teach effective coping strategies
- Use Implications
Differentiate between feelings and actions
Teach children how to describe their emotions so they can express anger, irritation, and disappointment. Say something like, “it’s okay to feel angry, but hitting is not okay.” Help them understand that even when angry, they have control over what they do.
Aggressive conduct occasionally causes several unpleasant emotions, such as distress or embarrassment. Therefore, encourage your children to examine their anger. Perhaps they are upset that a play date has been canceled, but they react angrily because it is simpler or to cover up their grief.
Demonstrate effective child anger management techniques
Showing kids how to handle their emotions when angry is the greatest method to teach them how to child anger management. Kids will probably lose their cool if they witness you doing so. However, they’ll also notice if you express your emotions in a kindlier, softer manner.
While protecting your kids from most adult issues is crucial, it’s beneficial to model healthy child anger management for them. To help your youngster realize that adults, too, get angry sometimes, point out examples in which you become irritated.
It’s okay to express anger that the vehicle in front of us failed to halt so the children could cross the street. However, I’ll stop to allow them to pass securely. Children will learn to communicate their emotions by hearing others express their own.
Establish anger guidelines
Most families have unofficial guidelines for appropriate and inappropriate conduct when someone is angry. Doors being slammed and voices being shouted are acceptable actions in certain households but not in others. Write your expectations in the home rules.
Discuss physical violence, teasing, and property damage with your kids so they realize they shouldn’t hurl things, smash things, or lash out verbally or physically when angry.
Instill Healthy Coping Techniques
Children must learn proper techniques for child anger management. Do not tell them, “Don’t hit your sibling,” but rather, “Explain what you can do when you’re angry.” Say something like, “Next time, use your words” or “Leave him alone when you’re angry.”
What could you do instead of hitting? This is another question you may use to assist your youngster in coming up with other solutions. You might also make a kit for them to use when disturbed to help them calm down.
Put items in a box that will help them relax, such as a coloring book and crayons, a scented lotion, or calming music. Using their senses may calm their mind and body.
Use time-outs as a strategy to aid in your child’s anger management. Teach them that they have the option to take a break before things get out of hand. Removing oneself from a situation and taking some time to cool down can be particularly beneficial for children prone to get angry.
Use consequences if necessary
Give your kids good values for sticking to child anger management guidelines and negative penalties. For example, a reward or token economy system might encourage a youngster to utilize anger management techniques while angry.
If your youngster acts aggressively, carry out the instant penalties. Effective boycotts may include time-outs, loss of privileges, or paying back the aggressor by completing extra tasks or lending them a toy.
Message from Inner acceptance Therapy
It’s common for children to struggle occasionally with controlling their anger. However, with your supervision, your child’s abilities ought to grow. It’s crucial to seek professional help when children struggle to regulate their anger or when those issues worsen. If you are looking for anger management therapy near me in Kingwood and Woodlands, consult with our licensed therapists and counselors who provide you with both anger management therapy online and in person!
