Techniques for Dealing with Frustration for Kids

No one can escape the wrath of frustration, not even small children. Small children seem prone to becoming more frustrated due to a lack of coping skills or the vocabulary to express themselves appropriately. Children tend to act out their frustration rather than discuss how they are feeling. Parents and educators can develop techniques designed to help a child deal with the negative feelings he is experiencing so he can return to a normal state of being.

  1. Teach Feelings

    • Teach your child to identify her feelings beyond the typical happy, sad and mad. Talk to your child about more complex feelings, such as frustration and jealousy. Describe these feelings as either more or less intense than the typical feelings she is used to. Use flashcards with faces of the emotions, or have your child draw her own take on the emotions you describe. Teaching a child to identify feelings is an important step in dealing effectively with the emotion. Identification of emotions allows a child to understand how she is feeling and what she needs to do next in order to deal with it.

    Deep Breathing Exercises

    • Teach your child to breath deeply whenever he is frustrated. The act of deep breathing calms the body, eliminating any stress and frustration your child is feeling. Tell your child to take a deep breath in, hold it for a count of three and release it slowly. Have him continue breathing this way several times or until he feels he is calm enough to continue with his day.

    Physical Activity

    • Get the child moving in a positive way to remove some of the negative energy she is feeling by taking a walk, throwing a ball back and forth, or jumping rope to expend energy. The child might be more likely to talk about what is bothering her if she is engaged in another activity she can "hide" behind -- a defense mechanism to help her feel safe enough to express her feelings. Physical activity provides an outlet for the negative energy that comes with being frustrated, so have a list of chores or activities the child enjoys doing for when frustration levels rise.

    Bag of Coping Skills

    • Create a box or bag of coping skills that your child can use whenever his frustrations levels rise. Fill the box with items he enjoys that will calm him down, such as coloring books and crayons, modeling clay, special toys or games, a stress relief ball and any other item your child can identify as being calming. Keep the box in a safe place to be used only when the child is extremely frustrated. Using it during extreme times will ensure the tools do not lose their effectiveness too quickly.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Make a Printable List for Household Chores
      If you feel more like a maid than a mom, involve the entire family and assign different household responsibilities to each member. As children develop, they can tackle a greater number and greater difficulties of tasks, according to the American Acad
    • How to Tame a Child Who Is Super Competitive?
      Competition can be fun as long as it doesnt cause undue stress. If your child always has to win, or becomes anxious and distressed at the thought of not winning at something, it may be time to help him dial it back. Being too competitive can be stres
    • How to Deal with a Clingy Grade-Schooler
      When grade-schoolers experience separation anxiety and act clingy, parents may feel stressed and anxious, too. Its not just the actual act of separating that causes the clinging -- it can also be caused by anticipation. Separation anxiety is a somewh