Anger- Management is just a game away!

“I had anger on my friends

I told my Wrath, my Wrath did end

I had anger with my Foe;

I hid my Wrath and My Wrath did grow” ..Anonymous

The above quote enlightens us of two aspects:- today’s kids are more prone to anger and in dire need of ways of anger – management. Their emotional stress manifests as anger and if we can help them manage their anger, we will do them a world of good in the long run. Anger management can be empowering and conflict resolving.

Firstly, How challenging it must be for the people who love us and are close to us to be at the receiving end to our outbursts.

Secondly, All pent up emotions especially Anger can do a world of damage to a person.

How lovely it’ll be if we can release our anger in better ways and not let it ruin our rapport with our family & friends. Rapport once broken can be a very costly affair It might cost us out relationships and  rob us for the mutual trust and love.

How welcome would it be to let go of this not so helpful demon in a playful way. Isn’t it?

Here are a few games that any and all ‘Angry Birds’ can explore to shorten the fuse length( the time gap between getting annoyed to full grown anger) and save themselves of toxic effects of this emotion .

1.Pillow punching –To take a person from anger to sadness, to hurt to softness,to joy, the simple act of punching a pile of pillow works wonder.

When you see a child young adult angry or hurt, acknowledge their emotions and tell something like this:-

“I see you are really hurt ” present a pile of cushions and say “Punch here on the cushion” let the punching continue while you mirror back the feelings.

Children must do it in the safe place where no other breakable in the environment abound. Children with little to moderate anger should not be suggested it as a release method.

Anger management is just a game away

2.Clay Modelling –  Playing with clay, Pounding it or crumbling it is another release strategy of pent up anger in an individual.

Anger management is just a game away

3.Art is Therapeutic- Enough art books focusing on mindful engagements like ‘Mandala Art’ are now available on sale. Getting to color the pattern as per your creativity shifts the focus .This simple shift help the mind to change gears and explore possibilities to old blocks.

4.Digital Natives have a Hope- If any one can balance their digital-time,  the options abound too. I am not in the favor of aggressive and violent game forms. But here are my favorites;-

• Pigment- An digital coloring App; with a big set of digital colored pencils.
• Prune- Its about pruning your Bonsai Tree to form it in to a shape of ones choice.Its nice,creative and relaxing to channelize irrelevant emotions.
• Mountain Valley-Geometric and  optical illusion abound in this one.The relaxation is added on because of music and colors that accompany it all.
• Silk 2- Its my favorite illustration program that allows them to create small works of digital art and helps acquire a sense of symmetry.

As long as digital engagement are balanced only with physical and real-time pursuits,I see no big harm in the above games.

Anger management is just a game away

5.Imagery/ Visualization-While they are angry,if we make our kids consciously pay attention to 6Things that make feel ‘wow’…. it will be all about 6 seconds to manage anger.

Similarly suggesting them to visualize how they want to feel instead,to see calmer and happier self in their head, chances are they would forgot what was causing them to be so angry in the first place.

It needs some practice and mindful presence in the moment to begin with.

With imaginary and visualization,the intensity of this big bad emotion called ‘Anger’ will subside and they can definitely make sensible decisions.

Anger management is just a game away

6.Breathing Games-A small change in body can be a creating a compassionate world and It is just a mindful but funny breathing-game away. The premise here is simple yet very profound. .

Anger management is just a game away

It works very well with groups of children as in case of child individually. Here’s how you go:-

• Ask them to take strong breathe like a horse;
• A Small fast breathe like Rabbit;
• A Puppy breathe with tongue out & belly panting;
• A Big breathe;with a stamping of the feel like a soldier.
• Curling the body to sleep with light breathe and finally come back to yourself and fell yourself how you feel.

It will definitely be a ‘Home-Run’ to a calmer,happier and well managed children.In the process; they will acquire effective ways to escape all heart burn around anger too:)

In case you wish to share how you have been reigning your angry birds, We will be glad to hear in comments for the sake of our young millennials….Lets create a better & positive world !