Lots of kids like you have trouble managing their anger. Did you know that you can learn to control your anger, just the way you learn other important things like reading, or math or how to hit a baseball?

When you reduce your feelings of anger, you will find that it is much easier to enjoy your friends and your family.  After all, it’s fun being a kid!

Did you know your body tells when
you are angry?

It is helpful to understand body language, because it is part of the way we express our emotions. Sometimes our facial expressions and our bodies say one thing, and our words say a completely different thing. When you can read body language, you will be better able to understand what people are feeling and you can respond in the best way.

When you feel a strong emotion, your body expresses your feelings. If you are angry, your muscles may get tense, your heart may beat faster, you may breathe faster and harder, and your face may feel warm. Sometimes anger may even cause you pain. You might get a headache or a stomachache if you are angry for a long time. Other people can see that you are angry, too, just by looking at your body.

• They can see you are angry by your posture (the way you stand).

• They can see you are angry by the way you hold your hands. When people are angry, they sometimes make fists or hide their hands in their pockets or behind their backs.

Everyone gets angry, but some people don’t have good ways to express their anger. When you learn positive ways to express your anger, you won’t get into trouble for misbehavior.

Sometimes you may feel like slamming doors, screaming, or kicking a wall. Doing these things won’t help you feel less angry and they will probably get you into trouble. Lots of people—kids and adults—have to learn how to manage their anger.

The following will help you think about positive things you can do when you are angry.

Here are some ideas:

• Talk about it

• Draw a picture that expresses your feelings

• Do something like playing a sport or a game, that will take your mind off what is making you angry

• Listen to music

• Find something to laugh about

• Walk around until you calm down

• Take five deep breaths

• Sit down and relax your muscles

• Think of what is bothering you as a problem you can solve

You will probably find that some things help you with your anger better than others.