Anger is a normal emotion for both adults and children. The reaction to feelings of anger can be healthy or harmful. Teaching your child anger management techniques helps her deal with the emotion in a healthy manner. Not all techniques work for every child. Teach your child a variety of methods to manage her emotions.
Breathing
Breathing techniques give an angry child time to calm down before reacting to the situation. Practice breathing deeply with your child. Encourage him to count to 10 as he breathes to focus his attention off of the anger. Imagining a calming situation may also help a child get his anger under control.
Quiet Time
Removing yourself from the situation causing the anger is an effective strategy for many people. Help your child recognize her anger and suggest she find a quiet spot to get away from the cause of the angry feelings. If her brother interrupts a game she is playing in the living room, she might walk away to her bedroom to cool down. She gets away from the source of her anger and has a chance to think of ways to resolve the situation.
Hobbies
Distraction methods help redirect the child's energy away from the thing that is causing him to become upset. A hobby or enjoyable activity is a productive option that often has a calming effect. The child engages in something that brings him enjoyment, which may gradually reduce his anger. Kids Health recommends drawing, listening to music, exercising or running around the outside of the house.
Talking
Encourage your child to open up about her feelings. Talking her through the anger-inducing situation teaches her how to calm down on her own in the future. The National Network for Child Care recommends encouraging the child to state how she feels and why, based on the specific situation. For example, she might say she feels angry when her brother interrupts her game because she cannot finish the game. Help her brainstorm solutions to the situation.
