Child Anger Management Techniques

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Child Anger Management Techniques
by Lisa Dunning, MA, MFT

Being angry is a normal emotion. Unfortunately many parents treat anger as an inappropriate behavior instead of a normal emotion that requires child anger management techniques. Instead of defusing their child’s anger many parents unknowingly increase their child’s anger. It is important for parents to know the warning signs of their child’s anger in order to help reduce the anger. Below are child anger management techniques to assist parents in helping their child defuse their child’s anger in an appropriate manner.

Child Anger Management Breathing Technique

Practice breathing techniques with your child. When you notice your child’s anger escalating, help your child take a deep breath in and out. This child anger management technique alone will enable your child to relax and calm down.

Child Anger Management Counting Technique

Count to 10. After your child takes a deep breath have your child count to 10. This step will again help redirect your child’s anger and calm your child.

Child Anger Management Take A Break Technique

Take a break from the situation. If a topic is getting too heated, call a time out where you and your child take a break from the topic that created the anger. When you and your child are calm you can revisit the conversation.

Provide A Safe Place For Your Child To Express Anger

This is an extremely important step in providing anger management. Your child needs to let out their anger appropriately. Some suggestions are: screaming in a pillow, punching a pillow, punching a punching bag, taking a walk, screaming in the backyard, etc. Again, after your child is calm and has released their anger appropriately, it is important to finish the conversation.

Have Your Child Join An Activity

Sports is a great anger management outlet. Some terrific activities are martial arts, football, soccer, running, basketball, kickboxing, skating, bike riding, etc. Any activity exerting physical energy is good.

Leading By Example Is More Powerful Than Do As I Say When Using These Child Anger Management Techniques

This last point is key in teaching your child anger management techniques. Leading by example is more powerful than do as I say. When your child sees you implementing these anger management techniques when you are angry they will be more likely to use them as well. Your child will also be more likely to follow these techniques when you are calm and supportive. Once your child is calm, you and your child can engage in a dialogue to evaluate what caused the anger in the first place.

Any of these articles by Lisa Dunning, Family Therapist may be re-published in hardcopy (magazines, newsletters or newspapers) or electronic format in websites, ezines or electronic newsletters provided the following resource box is included at the end of the article with a link to the URL

Lisa Dunning is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Specializing in Parent/Child Relationship issues, the author of "Good Parents Bad Parenting: How To Parent Together When Your Parenting Styles Are Worlds Apart" and the host of her own radio show, "Life Support". She provides marriage, divorce and parenting phone sessions to clientele across the United States and Canada and provides expert parenting advice to newspaper & magazine columnists. To learn more about Lisa Dunning visit her website at http://www.LisaDunningMFT.com.

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Lisa Dunning, Marriage & Family Therapist Parent / Child Relationship Specialist