And it is at school age that gender stereotypes begin to influence children’s emotional expression. When children are in a school environment, for example, boys are required not to cry or show fear. Meanwhile, girls will be protested if they do brutal things when they get angry. Emotions or anger that arise in children are usually triggered because the child feels defeated or thwarted, many children react very violently by slamming or destroying objects around them.
This happens because they have not been able to deal with such strong negative emotions in the right way, which is why they will tend to bring them up by interfering with or looking for their parents’ attention and behaving in ways that are socially unacceptable. Things like this certainly cannot be allowed to pass like that continuously. Because of a child, this bad behavior can become a habit when his anger arises. So what are the good ways parents can do to channel children’s anger?
Parents may find it difficult to anticipate and realize that things they consider trivial can actually trigger children’s anger and when a child is angry they will express it so that their anger is felt by others around them. When this happens, you may be surprised, but you can help them channel their anger by doing the following:
1. Invite To Play
Children’s behavior when angry is sometimes difficult to control. Running, disturbing others and even seeking parental attention are ways they often do to show their anger. However, when parents understand and are able to turn the child’s anger on to something they enjoy, it will be useful to channel their anger. When bad behavior starts to appear, it’s best not to scold him in public, this will only make him act more actively. Invite him to play with his favorite toy or something he has just encountered. That way the child’s attention will be distracted and slowly the anger will be muffled and forgotten.
2. Allow Children to Show Expressions of Anger Well
If children are angry, allow them to express the emotions that show themselves well, for example showing an angry face while saying ‘I’m angry’. Let them do this, this is better than letting the child express his anger by screaming, let alone hitting the person who is the source of his anger.
3. Ask the Child to Reveal Reasons That Make Them Angry and Give Alternatives
Sometimes parents don’t realize what really makes their children angry. Without realizing it, things that are considered trivial can trigger children’s anger. Like the wrong choice of socks in his favorite color or forgetting to pick them up at school. When this happens the child usually becomes angry and sullen. For this reason, ask the child to express what makes him upset, when the child succeeds in expressing the reason, the next action you can do is apologize and give him another alternative by promising to buy socks in his favorite color.
4. Invite children to do physical activities that they enjoy
Invite children to play ball, swim, bike and do other activities that they enjoy. This is a medium for outlet when emotions arise. It’s just that, never let the child channel his emotions alone, one of the ways he can do it insistently, like pedaling a bicycle as fast as he can that makes him fall. Thus, to maintain their safety, always stay with the children
Here are some ways parents can channel their children’s emotions and anger. When children are angry, it is not recommended to invite children to do passive activities such as watching television, reading and so on. Because this will only make them grumpy grumpy. In addition, leaving children in an emotional state and ignoring them can create feelings of revenge in children. For this reason, channeling children’s emotions into positive activities is a smart way that parents can do.