Learning to deal with frustration and anger is of great importance for children. It is a skill that they need to be able to function well later in life and to build and maintain relationships. Learning to deal with these emotions, this can cause problems at a later time in their lives. In this blog post you can read how you as a parent can help your child process anger and frustration.
The importance of learning to deal with frustration and anger
By teaching children how to deal with negative emotions such as frustration and anger in a healthy way, you teach them the skills they need in the rest of their lives. You enable your little one to resolve conflict, dealing with stress and to calm themselves when they are overwhelmed by emotions. In short, you make your little one a lot more resilient, which is good for self -image and self -confidence. But then you have to understand where those emotions can come from.
Causes of frustration and anger in children
Frustration and anger in children can arise for various reasons. Sometimes children feel frustrated or angry if they can't do something or get what they want. Other times it can be due to fatigue, hunger, illness or over -stimulation. Changes in the environment, such as moving or a divorce, can also cause feelings of frustration and anger in children. It may also be that your little one feels misunderstood or heard. Often they have difficulty expressing their emotions or are important needs overlooked. As a parent, it is especially important to remember that your little one is still developing. Emotion regulation is part of that.
5 tips for learning to deal with frustration and anger
Dealing with frustration and anger can be a challenge for both children and parents. As a parent you can help your little one by listening, show understanding and teaching healthy ways to deal with emotions. Here are some playful tips to help you:
- Recognize the feelings of your child: Let your child know that you understand that he or she is frustrated or angry and that it is okay to have those feelings. Give the space to express his or her feelings and listen carefully.
- Talk about what happened: Talk to your little one about what happened and why he or she became so frustrated or angry. Discuss together how things can be tackled differently in the future. Especially let your little one come up with a solution, this teaches them to give limits and to think problem -solving.
- breathing exercises: Nothing is as annoying as a child who has a rage. Fortunately, breathing exercises can help to calm down. A good exercise is, for example, to blow together on a soft balloon and then slowly let the air run out while you are deeply in and out. Breathe in, breathe out.
- Creative expression: From your emotions through creative expression! Go and draw, paint, clay or write together. This helps with letting go and processing pent -up emotions.
- Play together: Go play together or do an activity that requires cooperation to learn to control frustration and reduce anger. For example a game of memory or a building game.
