Anger management skill is one of the most important life skills for every child.
For every action, there must be a reaction. This is one of the basis for anger-related issues experienced by men today.
Anger is an emotion felt by humans at different points in life. No one can boast of never being angry throughout their stay on planet Earth.
In the developmental stages of a child, they may find it difficult to express themselves during certain situations. This can give rise to continuous outbursts of anger.
Some children are prone to anger because they are at a stage in life where they are trying to develop their social skills. It is up to parents and guardians to do the needful in preventing and managing such occurrences.
Signs Of Anger-Related Issues In Children
1. Frequent outbursts of anger
Children pass information in different ways and when they can’t put their displeasure into words, they flare up. This shouldn’t throw you into a frenzy if it occurs once in a while but you should be worried if it occurs multiple times within a short period.
2. Aggressive behaviour
Nostrils blazing and eyes glaring are the predominant features of a child when he/she is angry. Your child can become antagonistic towards you or his peers when he is having anger issues, like refusing to take your advice, not adhering to rules and regulations, and being rude for no reason.
3. Inability to cultivate healthy relationships
Being tolerant is one of the ways your child can maintain a wholesome relationship with peers. This doesn’t mean your child has to be a pushover but good boundaries have to be established for this to happen. A child with anger-related issues will find it difficult to maintain a good relationship with peers.
4. Changes in the expression of emotions
Your child seems happy one moment but in the next minute, strings of temper tantrums are unleashed on all your family members. If this happens repeatedly, there is a chance that your child is having anger-related issues.
5. Frequent reports from school authority
When you are regularly called by your child’s class teacher concerning a fight with your child’s classmate or an exchange of words with a classmate, it indicates a case of anger mismanagement.
Reasons For Anger-Related Issues In Children
1. Hormonal fluctuations
2. Physical pain
3. Depression
4. Grief
5. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
6. Bipolar Disorder
7. Sexual abuse
Ways Your Child Can Cope With Anger
1. Knowledge of triggers
The first step to helping your child heal from anger issues is by identifying the triggers. For example, bullying by a schoolmate can cause your child to throw tantrums at random.
You can know this by asking your child, in a gentle tone, questions concerning the trigger that caused the outburst.
2. Encourage them to talk about their feelings
Most parents are impatient to listen to the complaints made by their children. Engage in active listening as you motivate your child to share their feelings.
Also, you can create a room for deeper conversations based on their response to earlier questions.
3. Anger management plan
Help your child to cultivate an anger management plan like taking deep breaths, counting from 1 to 10 and walking away from the source of the anger.
As your children grow older, they will choose the method that works best for them and stick to that.
4. Do not succumb to tantrums
Do not be quick to give in to the requests of your child anytime they throw a tantrum. This will only make them keep throwing tantrums to get you to do their bidding.
It’s like adding gasoline to an existing flame.
5. Be great role models
Children learn quickly by watching your actions daily and how you handle situations. They do so subconsciously, that is why after some years, your son starts displaying some of your behaviours.
Showing your child how you manage your anger issues can encourage them to do the same.
6. Follow through with consequences
Set tasks for any time your child flaunts laid-down rules. Resist the urge to sweep these behaviours under the rug and follow through with your penalties.
7. Physical activities
Your child can cope with anger issues by engaging in physical activities such as house chores and exercises. This will help them to release pent-up anger.
8. Know when to seek professional help
If you are implementing several ways to help your child cope with anger but you can’t see any progress after a long period; please seek the help of a professional.
Conclusion
Every child goes through different stages of development and crosses several hurdles in their journey to adulthood, your job as a parent is to aid their experiences by being good contributors to their overall growth.
