Many parents are all too familiar with angry outbursts from their children, from sibling squabbles to protests over screen time limits. But some parents may find it challenging to help their kids manage intense emotions. One in seven think their child gets angrier than peers of the same age and four in 10 say their child has experienced negative consequences when angry, a new national poll suggests.
Seven in 10 parents even think they sometimes set a bad example of handling anger themselves, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.
Children often react intensely to minor frustrations since they're still building emotional regulation skills. Without guidance on how to express these feelings appropriately, it can lead to disruptive behaviors, problems at school, and strained relationships. Parents play an important role in teaching children how to process and manage their anger productively.
But some parents may need guidance themselves on the best strategies to do this." Sarah Clark, M.P.
H., Mott Poll co-director The nationally representative report is based on 1,031 responses from parents of children ages 6-12 surveyed in August 2024. Some children express anger more often While more than a third of parents feel their child has gotten better at managing anger, two in five worry that their child's anger will cause problems for them.
More parents of boys than girls say that in the past year their child has .