Tantrums and bursts of anger are common emotions for children. Over time, kids are taught how to cope with and manage these feelings. But for some parents, anger is also hard to manage.
In a new research from C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, seven in every 10 parents (70%) said they sometimes set a bad example of anger management to their kids. Additionally, 14% of parents whose children get angry more often than peers said they are also more likely to feel they are setting bad examples of anger management.
The survey, conducted in August of this year, polled 1,031 parents with at least one child aged 6 to 12.
Recognizing Poor Anger Management in Children
Apart from parents, the survey also asked respondents to rate their child's anger management skills. At least 14% of parents said their child gets angry more often than other kids their age.
Moreover, parents said their children experienced negative consequences because of their anger, such as hurting themselves, hurting other people, having problems with their friends, or getting in trouble at school. These instances are higher among boys (43%) than girls (33%).
Read Also: Anger Outbursts Among Children Linked to the Use of Tablets During Early Childhood: Study
How To Handle Anger in Kids and Parents
Parents interviewed for the survey said they used various coping strategies to get their children to calm down when they are angry. The most popular strategy is giving their children cool-off activities (68%). Several cool-off strategies include sensory activities such as playing with Play-Doh or squeezing a stress ball, engaging in physical activity like running or dancing, and teaching children to take deep breaths.
Other methods parents used to manage their child's anger included talking about their triggers (58%), taking a time out (53%), repeating positive affirmations (32%), and using positive imagery (28%).
Experts say parents should also learn how to handle and cope with anger as this can model a healthy way to manage strong emotions. Children can reflect their parents' anger management, which means parents who often have outbursts can have kids who are more likely to do so too.
To prevent this, experts say it is important for parents to learn how to regulate themselves and model a calm, constructive way of expressing their frustrations.
