Gboah!
Mrs. Jones rolled her eyes towards the heavens and silently prayed for patience. Her daughter’s tantrums had begun again. She silently wondered how many plates she had broken this time. She would never understand why her daughter seemed to always explode without any obvious provocation.
Her husband believed that she would outgrow the outbursts with time but at the rate this was going, they would soon run out of plates and cups in the kitchen.
Emotions are a part of us all. However, when not properly managed,emotions can lead to very unacceptable behavior in children that can put them and others in danger.
Like Mrs. Jones, a lot of parents want to know how to help their children deal with their emotions properly. Here are some tips that can help you to assist your children in managing their emotions better.
- Teach Your Children About Feelings.
Children will get very upset when they don’t know how to express their feelings. So teach your children basic feeling words such as upset, sad, happy, and scared. Label your child’s feelings for them by making statements like, “It looks like you feel really upset right now.” Over time, they’ll learn to label their emotions.
- Develop a Plan to Help Your Child Calm Down.
Teach your children what to do when they begin to feel angry. Encourage them to colour, count or go to their rooms when they begin to feel angry till they calm down before they continue their activities.
You could also teach them specific anger management techniques like counting till ten, taking deep breaths when they begin to feel angry. You should also encourage them not to speak angrily or making rash decisions when angry.
- Make Sure Angry Outbursts Aren’t Effective.
Some kids exhibit angry outbursts because it is a sure way to get their needs met. If a child throws a tantrum and the parent gives him candy to keep him/her quiet, this might be effective in the short term but the child would have learnt that tantrums are effective in getting their way.
- Follow Through With Consequences When Necessary.
Consistent discipline is necessary to help your child learn that aggression or disrespectful behaviour is not acceptable. So if your child breaks a rule, it is important to follow through with a consequence each time.
- Avoid Violent Media.
If a child has aggressive behaviours, violent movies, cartoons or video games will not be helpful. So, it is important to avoid violent media.