Aggression in children comes in many forms; there is a wide range of behavior problems associated with aggression. Many kids become angry and hostile for unexplained reasons. There are many instances of violent behavior in children and adolescents. They hit, attack, press, as well as push, which may cause injuries to others. You wouldn’t want your kid to continue with such behavior, so understanding precisely how to prevent aggressive behavior in children today would be awesome.
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What are the sources of aggression in children?
Some children and teenagers behave aggressively because they might have Conduct Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Others are simply attention-seeking, impulsive, merely acting-out and engaging in disruptive behavior. Some children have difficulty with emotional regulation and attention deficits.
Some aggressive or violent behaviors on in preschoolers can be a result of learning disorders, frustration and bullying. Other children lack impulse control and can become easily irritable. Impulsivity is common in children with ADHD and other behavioural disorders.
It is important to understand the nature of aggression. For young children, it is crucial for parents to discuss their concerns with a pediatrician, a child psychiatrist or a mental health professional. You should acknowledge that some aggression is part of child development. However the aggression needs to be managed skillfully before it gets out of control.
If the presence of behavior disorders is eliminated from your consultation with a doctor or mental health professional, then it is up to you to help your child to address the aggression.
Aggression in children can be caused by environmental factors like a noisy and overcrowded home or neighborhood, parental conflicts, sibling rivalry and other family conflicts. Other sources of aggression could be due to sensory difficulties, inattention and language and communication deficits. All these can be stressful for the child as well as the parents.
Aggression in children can manifest in different ways. These include tantrums, verbal aggression, biting, impulsivity, oppositional behavior and destructive behavior.
Aggression in children can occur in different settings, at school, at home, during play and in community settings. Aggression can occur in preschoolers, toddlers, children of school age, and in adolescence. The wide-ranging settings that cause physical aggression in children can be stressful for parents.
Parents can stop aggression in children
Parenting can be stressful for mums and dads. Each time your kid behaves in a defiant manner, or expresses a misbehavior, you can feel the stress and anxiety. Discussing this issue with your partner and health professionals is helpful in dealing with aggressive children, and can help you cope with these behavioral problems.
Stopping the aggression in children is never easy. The tips outlined in this post can assist you in dealing with aggression. Irrespective of the sources and causes of aggression, as a parent you can help your child by using the tips outlined below. In cases of high severity, however, your child will need evidence based behavioral therapy or similar behavior management techniques that are best delivered by a psychologist.
Tips to stop aggression in children
Learning to count from 1 to 10
Counting helps reduce anger provocation. While counting, take deep breaths. Demonstrate this exercise to your child and then ask him to do the same. Ask the child to repeat this with you daily until it becomes a habit. Explain to your child to try and start the exercise whenever they feel provoked and before they act out
Demonstrate authority
Don’t give in to your child’s unreasonable demands. Remember you are the parent. You need to use your authority as a parent. Only reward positive behavior from your child and ignore bad behavior. With time, your child will recognize your authority and fall in line.
Monitor Your De-escalation Techniques
Keep a record of successful techniques in the de-escalation your child’s aggression and use them again and again. If a technique hasn’t worked, change to another that works. Keep a note of the situation where it hasn’t worked and replace with another technique.
Be patient
Anger expression can be abrupt and brief in children. Just remember to be calm when your child is provoked and in a moment the aggravation will pass. So, be patient.
Appreciate yourself as a parent
Remind yourself that you are doing a good job as a parent, or at least you are trying your best. Be positive about your effort.
Remain Positive
Never give up on trying to help your child from becoming less aggressive. Some parents have not even tried. It’s a long road, but there is end as long as you keep to the techniques. You feel terrific once your child becomes calmer.
Stay calm when your child is aggressive
Reciprocal aggression will always lead to further aggressive behavior from your child. If you stay calm in the face of provocation, your child will learn from you that this is the correct behavior when provoked.
Lead by example
Never lose your temper with others in the present of your child. So, clean up your act if you are an aggressive parent before you can help your child. Most children learn good and bad behaviors primarily from parents until they start school where they learn from their peers. So, you need to provide good examples for your child and encourage positive behavior.
Encourage alternative behaviors
Provide your child with a reason not to be aggressive. Share a list of positive behaviors that you expect from them. Show affection and reward good behavior. Providing relevant positive reinforcement for desirable behavior is key to behavior change. For instance, praise as a form of positive reinforcement can be effective. Praise can also increase the child’s self-esteem. However, avoid providing candies and cookies as rewards as your child will ask for more without any new positive behaviors.
Provide consistent reward for desirable efforts
As a parent, you must be consistent in giving a reward to your child when not aggressive and when demonstrating self-control skills. Don’t wait for them to ask you for reward when they are well-behaved. So, you need to stay alert to this function.
The techniques outlined above should help you deal with your child’s behavior. Parenting is never easy. By applying these techniques, you will have tried your best!
