How to manage an angry kid?
How to manage an angry kid?
How we wish that your kids came with an instruction manual? Wouldn't it be nice if, at birth, they came with a slip of paper telling you how to do everything, from changing their diaper to handling their tantrums? This "instruction manual" could tell you how to get them to eat greens, how to tell if a friend is a bad influence, how to give them the drive and determination to succeed and what to do when they get angry.
From babies to adolescents to teens and into adulthood all of us get angry sometimes. But this can be hard for a parent, and sometimes you might not know what to do. While we can't give you all the answers to deal with your angry kids (because there are as many reasons for anger as there are solutions), we can provide encouragement, and help you make some initial steps toward understanding that can lead to hope and healing.
The word "adolescent" might scare you however, because your eight-year-old is more emotionally aware and intellectually advanced, you can help him understand more about himself — including how he handles his anger. In fact, these anger strategies apply to kids in the Teen years between the ages of 8 to 12.
Let him exercise more authority.
Elders always advise us that sometimes you have to pick your battles and some aren't worth fighting. This couldn't be truer as your child progresses from being a child to an adolescent.
As your child grows intellectually and emotionally between the ages of eight and twelve, you will naturally want to grant him more responsibility so that he can grow into a responsible adult. This means that when he gets mad or rants and raves because he wants to buy a particular video game for birthday gift money, and you know it's a bad idea, you can give up your ground and let the consequences of his choice speak for them. This way he can grow into a calm, thoughtful and discriminating adult who doesn't allow his emotions to rule him. For some kids, especially strong-willed and demanding kids this is a great way to let go.
Don’t reason with your kid when he is angry
With life pressures, it can be difficult to squeeze in moments with your child. However, it's imperative that if you want your child to learn how to handle his anger in a constructive way, you'll need to speak with him when he's not angry.
Think back to the last time when you were really angry. Could anyone reason with you? it's tough to reason with someone who is out of control with anger. That's why you'll need to speak with your child to make a constructive plan to handle anger when he's not angry.
As a part of helping your child, let him know that since he's getting older, he can take more responsibility in helping himself, since you won't always be there for him. Express sympathy by letting him know that it's normal to get angry sometimes. But also tell him that how he reacts to his anger is his choice and how he chooses will either make him more miserable or help him.
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