5 Ways To Teach Your Child Anger Management Skills

Anger can be defined as a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. Anger is a powerful emotion. If it isn’t handled appropriately, it may have destructive results for you and those closest to you. Uncontrolled anger can lead to arguments, physical fights, physical abuse, assault and self-harm. On the other hand, well-managed anger can be a useful emotion that motivates you to make positive changes. Anger thus triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response.

The constant flood of stress chemicals and associated metabolic changes that go with recurring unmanaged anger can eventually cause harm to many different systems of the body. Some of the short and long-term health problems associated with unmanaged anger are headache, digestion problems, such as abdominal pain, insomnia, increased anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, skin problems, such as eczema, heart attack and stroke

Many people express their anger in inappropriate and harmful ways. One such way is Anger explosions. Some people have very little control over their anger and tend to explode in rages. Raging anger may lead to physical abuse or violence. A person who doesn’t control his/her temper can isolate himself/herself from family and friends. Some people who fly into rages have low self-esteem and use their anger as a way to manipulate others and feel powerful. Another such way is Anger repressions i.e. some people consider that anger is an inappropriate or ‘bad’ emotion and choose to suppress it. However, bottled anger often turns into depression and anxiety. Some people vent their bottled anger at innocent souls such as children or pets.

But anger can be controlled in healthy ways. Here are a few suggestions for controlling your anger in a healthy way.

• If you feel out of control, walk away from the situation temporarily, until you calm down.
• Recognize and accept the emotion as normal and part of life.
• Try to pinpoint the exact reasons why you feel angry.
• Once you have identified the problem, consider coming up with different strategies on how to remedy the situation.
• Go for a run or playing sport.

Anger is sometimes a burst of emotions and at other times it is a habitual practice. The way you typically express anger may take some time to modify. Here are a few suggestions that can be incorporated for long-term anger management.

• Keep a diary of your anger outbursts, to try and understand how and why you get enraged.
• Consider assertiveness training or learning about techniques of conflict resolution.
• Learn relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.
• See a counsellor or psychologist if you still feel angry about events that occurred in your past.
• Exercise regularly.

Teaching children how to express anger

Expressing anger appropriately is a learned behavior so the same can be taught to children. Anger management taught to the young children will certainly prove beneficial to them in the long run. A few suggestions that can help your child in dealing with this strong feeling are-

• Leading by example.
• Letting them know that anger is natural and should be expressed appropriately.
• Treating your child’s feelings with respect.
• Teaching practical problem-solving skills.
• Encouraging open and honest communication in the home.
• Allowing them to express their anger in appropriate ways.
• Explaining the difference between aggression and anger.
• Punishing aggression or violence but not appropriately expressed anger.
• Teaching your children different ways of calming and soothing themselves.

Students of ASPAM Scottish, one of the Best Schools in Noida organizes sessions for its students to deal with this strong emotion.  Just as anger management has becomes easy for ASPAMIANS, it can become easy for you if you remember a few things to control your anger and will definitely bring about the desired change in you and your ‘undesired behaviour’ caused due to anger. Just remember that

• The long-term physical effects of uncontrolled anger include increased anxiety, high blood pressure and headache.
• Anger is also a positive and useful emotion, if it is expressed appropriately.

Long-term strategies for anger management include regular exercise, learning relaxation techniques and counselling.