If your child struggles with anger, you know how challenging it can be for everyone. Many children are frustrated easily and seem to blow up over even minor situations. They may yell and become aggressive.
When your child deals with angry outbursts, especially if their anger impacts their quality of life and relationships, you need to help them develop skills to deal with their feelings in a healthy way. In some situations, seeking guidance from mental health professionals is beneficial.
Talk About Feelings with Your Child
Kids are much more likely to lash out if they don’t understand how they feel or if they can’t verbalize what they are feeling. If a child cannot say they are mad, they may try to show this by lashing out.
If a child cannot tell others they feel sad, they may begin to misbehave to get more attention.
It is up to you to teach your child how to “label” their feelings. This includes teaching them words like “happy,” “sad,” “scared,” and “mad.” You can label your child’s feelings for them by saying something like, “You look like you feel angry.” As time passes, your child can learn to vocalize their feelings and emotions, which will help them better handle how they express them.
As your child learns to understand better their emotions and the right way to describe them, take steps to teach them even more sophisticated feelings, such as being lonely, worried, disappointed, and frustrated.
Create a Calm Down Plan with Your Child
It’s a good idea to teach your children what they should do if they start to feel angry. Instead of throwing toys when they feel frustrated, they can go to their room or a set “calming corner.”
You can even encourage your child to read a book, color, or even engage in another type of calming activity until they begin to feel better. It may even be beneficial to create a calm down kit for them, including items that will help them calm down and get rid of their angry feelings.
Help Them Develop Anger Management Skills
An effective way you can help your child when they feel angry is to teach them basic anger management techniques. For example, teaching them to take deep breaths can help to calm their body and mind when they feel upset. Going for a walk, repeating a phrase, or counting to 10 may also be beneficial.
You can teach other skills, too. This includes things like self-discipline or impulse control. Keep in mind most kids will require some coaching to master these skills, so make sure you are patient.
Helping Your Child Deal with Anger
As you can see, there are more than a few things you can do to help your child deal with anger. Be sure to keep the tips and information in mind, which will give you and your child a good foundation for dealing with big feelings and emotions that may be hard to express.