No parent wants to experience their child's angry meltdown. Not only is it challenging to witness the fury unfolding, but you know that the moment is even more difficult for your child. You may feel helpless or frustrated by fits of rage. But with the right tools, you can teach your child to regain control and manage anger in healthy ways.
Sooner or later, every child has an anger meltdown
I’ll never forget the first time one of my kids completely lost his cool. We were at Grandma’s house for a fun afternoon of fishing on the pond. Everything was picture-perfect—the weather, the new fishing gear, the delicious picnic lunch packed with my little guy’s favorite treats. The moment we arrived, my four-year old took one look at the row boat and the bucket of bait and totally lost it. In front of my in-laws. Eek!
My four-year old took one look at the row boat and the bucket of bait and totally lost it. In front of my in-laws.
Not certain what had set him off, I felt helpless as I watched his body stiffen and his face redden. Then he launched into a tirade about having to be at his grandparents with the stupid fish!
Have you ever been in a similar boat? (No pun intended!) Observing your sweet child’s volcanic eruption is unsettling. But how you react can make all the difference in how he recovers and moves forward after he explodes.
Instead of blasting back in a rage of your own, implement one of these strategies to defuse the tension and bring some cool back to your fired-up child.
Keep your own emotions in check
During the fishing incident, my first instinct was to get angry myself and demand an explanation for my son's ungrateful behavior. He was only four at the time, but his outburst was so unexpected it both surprised and frustrated me to see him behaving that way.
Fortunately, I didn’t respond in a volatile way. (Wouldn’t want to behave like that in front of the in-laws!) I was able to keep my composure and stay calm. And that's one of the essential keys to handling an angry child.
In 10 Tips To Help Your Child With Anger, clinical psychologist and parenting expert Dr. Laura Markham reminds parents: “Your anger will only make the storm worse. Your job is to restore calm, because kids can only learn and understand how to 'do better' when they're calm.”
RELATED: Five Strategies to Refresh Family Discipline and Restore Calm
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