In our time today, it seems like more and more children show signs of aggressive behavior. Of course, there can be many factors as to why this is, but we all know that aggression is not really a good thing.

That’s why it is important to teach your child anger management skills. Though anger is a normal emotion, we need to show them that there are many healthy ways to deal with it. Here are some ways you can teach your child how to control their anger.

Be a role model

Everything starts with you. Because children imitate what the adults around them do, you have to be careful with your own actions. Teaching your child about anger management requires that they see it in you as well. That means it’s better to teach them with actions than with words.

For example, if you start shouting at them for vandalizing a wall even just for the first time, then you’re not really setting a good example. Teaching them to manage their anger will be very easy once you show them how you do it too.

Teach assertiveness

One of the main reasons why we develop anger issues is because of pent-up emotions. When we bottle up our negative thoughts and feelings, it will all blow up sooner or later and lead to aggressive behavior. This is why it is important to teach your child to speak their mind.

You should teach them how to be assertive but, of course, only to the point that they don’t hurt others with their words as well. When they learn to speak up for themselves in an appropriate manner, it will also be easy for them to express their thoughts and feelings, regardless if it’s positive or negative.

Show them the difference between anger and aggression

It is also important to teach your child about the difference between being angry and showing aggressive behavior. Anger is not really a good emotion but it is normal for everyone to feel it and it can be acceptable.

Aggressive behavior, on the other hand, simply is not. Slamming a door, throwing their phone, even simple verbal aggression will not be acceptable. Show them that these actions will have grave consequences no matter where he/she is in.

Teach them how to recognize their signs

Each and every one of us have signs showing that we’re angry. Some feel like their heart beats faster while others start clenching their fists or gritting their teeth. One way you can stop a child from lashing out at someone is to teach them to recognize these signs.

This is so that they can redirect their attention and stop themselves from being aggressive. Some effective methods to employ when their signs start showing up is to have them take deep breaths or even simply count slowly to 10 in their minds.

Video games have always had a negative reputation among non-gamers, especially among parents who had to deal with the irregular sleep times and spending habits of their kids. But games have grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry bigger than other forms of entertainment. Talented gamers can earn millions from playing competitively.

If you are lucky to be a parent of a budding esports star, here are some tips that might help.

Know the game. Esports are just like any other competitive event. It is not that different from athletic, performance, musical, and even academic competitions. Most professional gamers specialize in one game. Nowadays the most popular are fighting games, strategy games, shooters, and sports. You will have a better understanding of what your child is doing by researching the game, the different competitions, and the rules.

Understand the risks. Even if your kids are not moving around much like when doing sports, there is still a risk of injuries. If your child wants to compete, of course they will need to practice. It is possible, however, to suffer from strains, back pain, collapsed lungs, and carpal tunnel syndrome from spending too much time in front of a computer. Remind your child to look after themselves so that they can keep playing.

Get quality equipment. For practice, they will need the best equipment. That means you should also be familiar with the hardware and peripherals that will be used. You do not have to get the most expensive items, but you should get the best quality equipment you can provide. Don’t worry about the cost too much because most hobbies are expensive anyway. This is not different to buying expensive running shoes for kids who want to try sports.

Encourage them while they are young. The strange thing about competitive gaming is that age does matter. Researchers are not yet sure about it but perhaps reaction time and micromanagement might slow down as a person becomes older. This is why esports is the haven of a lot of young gamers not yet in their 30s. Sure, older gamers can and still compete, but most of the champions are usually the younger ones.

Managing finances. If your child becomes one of the best players around, he/she could rake in millions from competitions and endorsements. Some players who are part of teams even get monthly salaries.

This can be beneficial if your child wants to invest in his/her future because an esports athlete has a shorter career span than a professional sports athlete. You could even get a college scholarship for esports because a lot of colleges and universities now have their own esports teams.

Get to know the community. The beauty of esports is that it is not an isolated community even if majority of the public still think gaming is a niche. The community is more open and accepting to players no matter the physical attributes and background.

Is there a right way to instill love, kindness and compassion for humans and other living creatures in a child?

Be an example. Children do what their parents do because you’re their role model. If they see you treat all the people around you kindly, they will also nurture a loving relationship with their peers as they grow up. If they see how you care for your pets, they will also be kind to animals. Show your child how good it feels to help out neighbors, for example, and how you can gain more friends by genuinely caring for everyone.

Say the right words. Show your child that there’s nothing to be ashamed of when expressing how much you love and care for another person. Don’t be afraid to say “I love you” before bedtime, or say “thank you” to people who make our lives easier. Practice saying “thank you” to the waiter or waitress when he/she serves the food, for example. Show your kid that it’s good to express your gratitude even when the person is being paid to do their jobs.

Use kind words. Whenever you talk to other people, always use polite and kind words even if you disagree. Hurtful words can ruin good relationships, and you wouldn’t want your child to grow up being shunned by his/her peers because they think he/she is an unpleasant company. Even when you’re talking to your child, he/she should be the receiving end of your compassion and understanding because it will make a bigger impact than anything else.

Help them raise a pet. If your family has the means to care for a pet, it’s also a good method to teach your child how to care for another living creature. The experience will teach the child a lot of things he/she won’t learn at school or when dealing with other people. Raising pets will teach the child unconditional love, responsibility, compassion and empathy for all things.

Point out rudeness. Being compassionate and understanding towards your child also has boundaries. Some children need to be told that they need to correct rude behavior. Teach your child that he/she has to respect everyone including family members and parents, and that there is no excuse to be rude just because the person loves him/her. Unacceptable behavior such as hitting another person, shouting, and name-calling should never be tolerated, no matter the circumstances.

Make it a habit. Good manners, willingness to help, and the use of kind and helpful words should be practiced by everyone in the family, not just you and the child. When it becomes a normal part of the child’s life, he/she will take the experience into adulthood. When a child exhibits kindness even when no one told him/her to, praise the actions to let him/her know that you value the thought.

There are a lot of reasons why parents scold their children. One common reason is carelessness. For sure, you will say everything to a child once you are mad without thinking that you hurt them much. The phrases you say that “You do not belong to this family” or “Your nothing but a burden and many more can hurt your child.

Being a good parent is not by scolding them too much because there are so many things that could happen once you reprimand your child. For some teens, suicide is the easiest way to get over their problem while others just keep their mouth shut.

To avoid this, you should always think about the words that you are going to say especially to your child. When a child hears this phrase, they become confident on the things they do. However, if this is repeatedly used even the simplest job a kid made, it’s a big problem. This is because a child may rely on something that they think correct.

For instance, your child killed the rat and you said “good job.” He will think that it is good to kill a rat where the truth is, it is very dangerous to kill a rat. Aside from that, your child might think that killing is good. You can motivate your child as long as you know the things that should be praised.

Getting a good grade us a good job compared to listening to the lesson that a teacher explain. By making thus, your child will be more confident to do the things which he think is good. In summary, you must choose what events your child has done and assess the things that are worthy to be praised.