Expert Lists Effective Tips For Parents To Manage Anger Issues In Young Children

Tips For Anger Management In Young Children: Does your child often show signs of anger even in the easiest situations? There are numerous factors that contribute to a child’s struggle with various emotions such as anger, sadness, grief, happiness or irritability. The most common cause of anger or frustration in children is when they do not get what they want. When out of control, anger issues can arise in children which can further lead to numerous other problems in their health and well-being.

In a conversation with Jagran English, Roshni Sondhi Abbi, Lead Clinical Psychologist, at Fortis Hospital, Gurugram explained how parents can deal with anger problems in their children with some simple tips.

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Tips For Parents To Manage Anger Issues In Young Children

According to Dr Abbi, experiencing emotional upheavals, temper tantrums, and anger outbursts is a universal human experience, across ages, and children are no exception. As parents, while it can be worrisome to see their children’s excessive anger or aggressive behaviour, it is equally important to be aware of what can be done to help manage such behaviour more adaptively. Some tips that could be kept in mind include:

1. Encouraging emotional awareness and expression: Depending on the children’s developmental age, they should be encouraged to talk about how they are feeling. Building an emotional vocabulary can help them identify or label their emotion, and talk about it.

2. Avoid being punitive for angry behaviour: Instead, validate their experience. No matter how challenging it might seem, as parents, we should avoid being punitive or angry at the child for expressing their anger. Even in cases of a temper tantrum, we can instead stay calm, and wait for the child to be able to talk about their emotions instead.

3. Serve as role models: It is important to set an example of healthy and adaptive mechanisms for expressing anger. Be aware of the way you yourself react to situations, as children learn by observing vicariously.

4. Providing outlets to channel anger: Creative forms like art, music, play, sports, or any other activity that can help them channel their energy can be useful in releasing their anger as well as other emotions.

Tips To Manage Anger Issues In Children (Image Credits: Canva)

Dr Abbi concluded by saying that one should remember that experiencing anger issues is an expected phenomenon. What is important is to encourage emotional awareness and expression, and to provide avenues for an adaptive catharsis. Parents’ responsibility is to create a positive emotional environment for the child, while also being emotionally available as a support system for them.