Why is it important to teach children about anger?
Anger is an inevitable part of life, but some ways are better than others for dealing with it. We live in a violent world. Some children live in violent families or communities, others see violence graphically depicted on TV. It may be hard to believe, but the average child in the U.S. witnesses 45 acts of violence on TV each day. Added to TV violence are talk shows and music videos that promote and glamorize drug and alcohol abuse. Pictures and lyrics of many musical groups present suicide as an “alternative” or “solution.” All of these influences can have a powerful effect on how children relate to their world and solve problems. In today’s world, learning to cope with anger and frustration in a positive way may be one of the most important tools your child learns. What we hope children learn: • To express anger nonviolently: It is OK to feel angry, but it is not OK to hurt someone because we are angry. • To recognize angry feelings in themselves and others. • To learn how to control
