As a parent, you must teach your kids how to manage anger early. When a child gets angry, you might have noticed that they may tend to use actions more than words. Sometimes their reactions might be extremely ugly, and if left unattended, they could carry the rage through adulthood. Every parent has a responsibility to teach proper anger management. The following are 10 tips to teach your child to calm down.
1. Take the Child for a Walk
If your child gets angry, take them for a walk. It helps them to get their thoughts together and make a conscious decision. The outside environment provides fresh air and helps them to relax. Also, the kid might get to see something new and exciting that will get their minds off whatever is making them angry. A walk to the park will serve as a great distraction for children and help them calm down.
2. Give the Kid a Hug
When the child is in a state of rage, they tend to be physical with their actions. A hug can calm children down and help them come back to reality. When you hug your child, it will make them feel loved and allow you to tell them that you care about them and want the best for them. It will also make them feel safe and secure in your presence.
3. Speak Calmly
When your child is angry, they tend to shout or cry. If you do not know what to say to a crying child, take a breath and pause. It’s important that you don’t react and lose your temper. When you are having a conversation with them, it is important that you speak calmly and not raise your tone to match theirs. Speak slowly and clearly so that they can understand what you are trying to say. When you talk in a monotone voice, it will make them concentrate on what you are saying and calm down.
4. Apologize
Some children tend to lash out when they get angry due to some mistake or miscommunication on the parents’ part. If this problem happens, apologize to the child. It will make them feel less angry and more secure in your presence.
5. Do a Silent Activity
If the child is very emotional, sometimes a silent activity would make him calm down. A quiet walk to the park or taking a bath will help them relax and think about what is going on in their lives. When they are in deep thought, it calms them down and helps them come to terms with things.
6. Talk About What Made Them Mad
As parents, you have the responsibility of making your children feel comfortable. If the child is angry, try to find out what triggered the anger in them. When you know the source of anger, you can help them with it. You can also suggest some ways to deal with it. However, it is important to remain calm when you have a conversation about their mood.
7. Doing Something Fun
Sometimes kids get angry because there’s something they don’t like or feel that they’ve been wronged. If this is the case with your child, suggest that you do something fun. Do something like going to the beach or shopping. It will make your child happy, and when they are happy, they tend to be calm.
8. Teach Them To Control Their Anger Through Breathing
Children tend to get irritated because they are overreacting. If they aren’t taught how to control their anger, this can become a habit. When you calm them down by doing breathing exercises, it will help them understand that when they get angry, they need to breathe in and out slowly to lower their heart rate and calm down.
9. Listen To Calm Music
When there’s something that makes your child angry, they tend to be noisy while talking. A relaxing song might help them calm down. Teach them how to listen to this music with a playlist of their choice and make sure that it is not too loud for their ears. When the song starts playing, make your child close their eyes and pretend that the song is in a romantic movie. These two things will help them relax and calm down quickly.
10. Watch a Funny Video
If your child is angry, try watching a funny video. It will divert their attention from whatever makes them mad and make them laugh. When you laugh with them, it will also help them deal with their mood.
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