Child Behavior: Anger Management for Kids

Everyone gets angry sometimes. As adults, we can usually tell when it's coming on, but kids don't always recognize the "warning signs" of anger. Often, they act out before they understand what happened and why. By teaching kids to identify the early signs of anger, you can help them to learn to find a productive (rather than a violent) outlet.

When kids become angry (and adults too), they often tense their body, clench their teeth, and begin to raise their voice. They may pout, growl, breathe deeply or roll their eyes.

Obviously, it's not helpful to point out these signs once they've already happened (your kid will be too angry to listen). But, after the fact, you might want to talk to your kid and help him identify these signs of anger so he'll recognize them in the future.

The idea is that your kid will be able to recognize anger early enough to find an appropriate response before it's gotten out of control.

Your kid might need some alone time to calm down and think about the situation. You may need to suggest some ways they can work through the anger.

It's also important that you model healthy behavior when you get angry. Work together as a family to identify anger and to learn to find positive ways to manage it.