Lesson 6: Building Anger Management Skills
Too many children today act out their anger in dangerous ways. A key part of any child's development is learning how to manage their anger appropriately. This lesson takes an intensive look at the various ways we can help our children handle their anger and frustration.
Helping The Angry Toddler
We’ve all experienced taking a toddler shopping and having them turn into angry, red-faced monsters. Why does this happen so often? Because we have failed to notice they were overtired or hungry. The second reason is toddlers get easily overstimulated by too much input. The lights, smells, noises and faces they see are totally overwhelming to them. Being unable to process so much input, they become agitated and angry.
If you must take a child this age with you, plan on making the trip as quickly as possible. If you need to go to the mall, know exactly where you are going and what you are buying. If you absolutely need to just get out of the house and windowshop, plan on going when the mall is at its quietest. Because it’s hard for children this age to sit still for long periods, try and take them to a park for a brief visit after, followed by home and a nap.
Toddlers typically get angry when thwarted from doing something they want to do. If you want to stop one activity, have an immediate substitute at hand. This often serves to divert an angry outburst before it gets started. If a child goes into a full blown tantrum, remove the child to a quiet place. Don’t yell or overreact to what they are doing. This is often the only way they have of releasing tension. Once the child begins to show signs of calming down, you can then try and help them relax. Offer to wash their face, or give them their favorite lovey to hold until the tantrum is over.
It’s important to realize that no matter how distressing this is for you, the tantrum is not directed against you. By staying calm and matter of fact, you teach them that this behavior doesn’t work for you. As they grow into childhood, they begin to try and handle anger and frustration in more appropriate ways.
How do you handle your toddler's anger?
