Did you know that anger is actually a normal human emotion? It’s no secret, we all get angry every now and then and that’s okay. It is normal to feel anger. What is not okay is trying to avoid the feeling of anger and not be able to manage or communicate it to others in a healthy way. It is important to know what gets us upset and how to identify our signs of anger in order to prevent our emotions from escalating. Not only do we need to help children how to identify their anger cues, we first need to better understand our own feelings of anger and know what our signs are. Here are some questions to ask your self and then your child:
- Think about a time when you were angry or upset. What happen?
- Was your body relaxed or did it feel tight with tension? Did your heart feel like it was racing?
- What were some thoughts that were running through your mind?
After taking some time to think about your signs of anger, talk with your kid about the importance of knowing their anger cues and how recognizing them can help prevent escalation of their emotions. Make a plan together with coping strategies that will help them regulate their emotions.
For more communication tips and family activities, visit https://positivepsychology.com/communication-games-and-activities/.
You can also visit our Cultivate Coping page for ideas on coping strategies!
