No parent wants their child to feel angry! But, instead of being afraid of this situation, anger and dealing with this condition in children helps them a lot in how to manage their emotions in the future.
Outbursts of anger are often inevitable, says Jazmine McCoy, a clinical psychologist in Atlanta. Your goal as a parent should not be to avoid or suppress anger at all costs. Instead, Jazmine tells CNBC that, "The goal is to raise a child who knows how to handle his or her anger in a healthy way."
Learning to manage emotions effectively can help children be more resilient, improve attention and boost cognitive skills, research shows. These traits are key to your children's success and overall well-being.
For parents, how you talk about anger, especially when you respond to a sudden outburst, is key to teaching your child how to handle that emotion appropriately. Anger is an emotion that conveys a message. This sensation comes to give an important signal, so you should pay attention to it.
Here are four steps to follow to deal with anger in children:
- Set clear boundaries
Children need to feel heard and understood, especially by their parents. They need to know that strong and negative emotions are normal and that parents are there to help and respect their feelings.
-Know your child's emotions
Acknowledging your child's anger can help them express the strong emotions they are feeling. This is an important step that leads to independent management of feelings in the future.
-Try to calm things down
Teaching your child to take deep breaths when upset is an effective way to calm angry outbursts. Psychologists say there is a trick to use effectively in cases of anger: Take deep breaths for the child and yourself.
-Don't respond to anger with more anger
As frustrating as it is to watch your toddler suddenly explode in anger, you as a parent need to remind yourself that they are too young to regulate strong feelings. Yelling at children can have negative effects on their self-esteem and emotional development.
