8 Ways to Handle your Child’s Aggressive Behavior

“Do not teach your child never to be angry; teach them how to be angry.” - Lyman Abott When we read about anger and aggression we think it only refers to adults, but you are wrong. It also includes kids.

As an adult,we know how to deal with such feelings. However,with children, they fail to handle their temper and express it with violent behavior - biting, kicking, breaking things, hitting. But the problem arises when your child’s aggressive behavior is not justa part of the learning curve but, seems to get out of hand.

Practical ways to recognize true aggression?

Below are some of the best ways to handle the aggressive behavior of your child: 1. Control your temper Ever heard the saying, “Monkey See Monkey Do.” That is exactly how kids are. Children mimic everything that they see at home, whether you peacefully handle your aggression or lose your temper. You can model coping skills like doing something that calms you down and your child will do the same. 2. Teach him house rules Toddlers are usually interested in exploring and touching things, and if there are valuables you don’t want them to touch, your better hide them or remove them. Also, you must teach them certain house rules from a very young age. And if they break any important rule explain to them right away what they did wrong. 3. Don’t take it too personally I can understand, when your child doesn’t comply with your request you feel disrespected. But you need to understand it is an unintentional reaction. Kids don’t process information as quickly as adults do and if they are too young it is very difficult

for them to understand their feelings. You need to first calm down and not be pessimistic about his behavior or else, it will create problems in his long-term development. 4. Identify his trigger points Try to figure when your child throws his tantrums the most? It is every morning before school, before his bedtime,or while eating his meals. And set goals, such as if he eats his meal on time six out of seven days. Then you must reward him or her when they meet the goals. 5. Appreciate his good behavior Praise your child when he is good, even if it’s nothing extraordinary. When he is back from school, you can say, “I am so happy to see you getting up on time every morning.” This will motivate him to get up daily on his own, without throwing any tantrums. Remember recognition and praises are powerful tools on their own. So, use them quite often. 6. Don’t beat him to control his behavior As I have said earlier, children mimic every action of their parents. If you hit them or punish them for their misbehavior,

they will begin to believe that this is the correct way to handle others when they don’t like how they behave. And this will increase his aggression towards others.

7. Teach him self-control

A child always needs a parent’s guidance to develop an ability to control his actions. They need to be explained to not kick, hit, or bite anyone whenever they feel like it. Parents need to explain to their kids that they shouldn’t react out of impulse and be aware of how they behave in front of others.

8. Show your love and affection

Express your love to your little ones, show them that you’re concerned about their emotion and feelings. Your physical presence will be comforting for toddlers, as well as for the older ones in their stressful times. And don’t forget the power of a hug that makes others feel safe, loved,and comforted.

If your child is having an issue with handling his or her aggression then the above tips will surely help you deal with it.

But if you think the situation is out of control,then you can always consult a pediatrician. They are adept at helpingchildrenanddealingwithfamilyproblemslikethese.