How To Teach Your Child To Manage Their Anger

As a parent, it can be hard to determine how to best deal with your child's emotions. Children's emotions are extreme because they are still learning how to control them. When they feel out of control or ignored, a child may react with anger because they haven't learned how to express themselves in a positive way yet. It's your job as a parent to help your child manage their anger. How do you do that?

Control

Parents control everything in a child's life. When they eat, what time time the child goes to bed, and much more. When the child has little control, resentment and anger can begin to build up.

If your child's anger is coming from lack of control, the best way to help your child is to give them control. This allows them to make choices that let them feel like they're in control. The key is to give them two choices such as the red shirt or the blue shirt? It's important to not give your child more than two options because it can leave them feeling overwhelmed.

Fill The Bucket

A child may tell you they're angry, but they may not be able to tell you that it's because they are feeling ignored. Many parents have turned to the idea of filling a child's bucket. A parent gives a child ongoing, positive attention throughout the day, filling the child's psychological bucket with love. When a child is given the attention they need, their bucket is filled and they feel important and loved, which leads to less anger.

Teach Your Child Coping Skills

One of the best things you can do for your child is teaching them coping skills. The count to ten technique gives children time to calm down instead of striking out at another person. Consider creating a calm down jar out of glitter and water. A colorful wheel with several different options that your child can use instead of hitting or screaming can help them control their anger. The wheel could suggest things such as tell an adult, play a game, take deep breaths, walk away, singing or even just smiling.

Having an angry child can induce feelings of helplessness in a parent. Figure out where the anger is coming from, whether it be a control issue, loneliness or something else. Creating the calm down jar or utilizing a wheel of options can help your child control themselves. Always remember to take a deep breath yourself before dealing with your offspring's anger. A calm parent is more likely to get results than a yelling parent. For further help, contact a local family counseling service, like Clinical Services.