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A note about your child being aggressive toward others

Resource Type

Parent Handouts and Info - Parent

Description

A note about your child being aggressive toward others

Ages

All Ages

Web Address

http://resources.childhealthcare.org/cocoon/dtw/parent-text/family/agressive_to_others_18_36.html

Languages

English

A note about your child being aggressive toward others

A note about your child being aggressive toward others

Small children have only a few ways to cope. It is important to figure out why a small child might get so angry that they get aggressive. For example, the most common reason for aggression is they can get very mad when they think someone is taking something that belongs to them or something they want. They need an explanation that shows that you understand their thoughts and feelings. An example might be "Tommy took the toy [thought] and you are mad because you wanted it [feeling]." You can say this with frustration in your voice and your body to show you get it. This may quiet your child. You may then give a consequence saying "But you can't hit. Hitting hurts people. You are going to time out." Time out is a good consequence because kids don't like leaving their activities. It is also a chance to calm down. Here is a link to how to do Time Out effectively. The most common people to get hit are siblings because they are around each other a lot. Kids get jealous when it looks like things are unfair. The best prevention of jealousy is Special Time every day with each parent. It also helps to talk about the point of view of the sibling. For example, you might say "Suzie is mad because she is too small to eat popcorn like you." It is important that your child not see other people be aggressive. Being spanked or screamed at, seeing others hit, watching violent movies, or playing violent video games teaches children to be aggressive. Praise your child when he or she gets mad and uses his or her words instead of hitting.

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