Anger Problems in Children

Anger is a normal emotion, but children need to learn how to express it in a healthy way. Sometimes, kids will be angry often or do not know how to cope with their anger. They may even become aggressive or be unable to enjoy life.

There are some things that you may be able to do in order to help your child with their anger issues. But first, why do they seem so angry in the first place?

Why Does Your Child Feel Angry?

There are several different things that can make a child feel angry or cause them to be unable to appropriately express their anger. Sometimes grief is an underlying factor. Trauma or constant frustration can also lead to anger problems.

In some cases, mental health issues may be a factor in the anger problem. Children who have depression, anxiety, oppositional defiant disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and other mental health conditions may have difficulty processing and managing their emotions.

If your child has problems expressing their anger or is unable to calm down, then a mental health professional may be able to effectively help them cope and manage their negative emotions and thought processes. If you are interested in therapy as a solution, you should check out BetterHelp.

When to Seek Help

Occasional fits of anger are a normal part of a child’s development, but there are some signs that the problem is worse than regular temper.

A child with anger issues may have problems maintaining healthy relationships with siblings and friends. They may lose friends because of outbursts or get so frustrated that they do not want to pursue friendships.

Furthermore, anger issues can cause problems in your household. You may not be able to go about your day-to-day life because of the negative behavior. While it is sometimes easier to adjust your plans by giving into your child’s behaviors, it can worsen the problem over time.

Excessive aggression can be a sign that your child needs help with their anger management. This is especially true if they regularly use aggression to solve their problems without trying to peacefully resolve the conflict.

If you have a child that throw tantrums that resemble those of much younger kids, then that may be a sign that there is a problem as well. A 10-year-old child should not throw a tantrum like a two-year-old. Additionally, the tantrums should not become more frequent or more severe as a child matures.

What Can a Parent Do?

A child’s anger can be difficult to deal with. You want to make them feel better, but you also want to teach them how to manage their emotions in a healthy way. While it is a good idea to bring anger problems up with their doctor or a mental health professional, there are also some things that you can do to help.

Try teaching your child to focus on their feelings. Encourage them to identify the differences between anger and other negative emotions like grief or frustration. While this can take some time, it will help them verbalize their emotions in a healthy way.

Also, let them know that anger is normal and healthy. However, the way that they respond to it should not be through aggression or other inappropriate behaviors. You may even want to get your child to write down the way that they feel for different strong emotions. This can help them identify and process those emotions, which can lead to better acceptance and regulation of those feelings.

It is crucial that you are a good role model for an angry child. This means that you should show them how to manage emotions in a healthy way. If you lose your temper, they will learn from it. Instead, try to deal with conflict in a peaceful and communicative way.

If you do get angry in front of your children, that is okay. However, you can use it as a teaching moment by properly taking responsibility and verbalizing what you did and how it was wrong. You may even want to show them the importance of an apology when someone makes a mistake.

If you are having trouble fixing your child’s behaviors, you need to set rules that everyone has to follow, including you. Then, you can provide positive reinforcements and consequences to aggressive or destructive behaviors that break the rules.

Finally, talk to your child. Ask them questions that allows them to verbalize their feelings. Guide them through correct and incorrect responses to negative emotions including anger. You can even give them a space in your home that is used for calming them down. It can include music and activities that allow the child to properly manage their negative emotions without having an inappropriate outburst or tantrum.

Conclusion

Anger is normal, but if a child is very angry and it is negatively impacting their life, then there could be some underlying issue. Even if there is not an underlying problem, it is important that they learn healthy coping methods and ways to manage their strong feelings.

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Author Bio: Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.