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Child Anger Management: Child Timeouts
The concept of a timeout is especially important to child anger management. It is the basic anger management strategy recommended for inclusion in every child's anger control plan. Informally, a timeout is defined as leaving the situation that is causing the escalation of anger or simply stopping the discussion that is provoking it.
Formally, a timeout involves relationships with other people: it involves an agreement or a prearranged plan. These relationships may involve family members, friends, teachers, and schoolmates.. Any of the parties involved may call a timeout in accordance with rules that have been agreed on by everyone in advance. The person calling the timeout can leave the situation, if necessary. It is agreed, however, that he or she will return to either finish the discussion or postpone it,
depending on whether all those involved feel they can successfully resolve the issue.
Timeouts are important because they can be effective in the heat of the moment. Even if your anger is escalating quickly on the anger meter, you can prevent reaching 10 by taking a time out and leaving the situation.
Timeouts are also effective when they are used with other strategies. For example, you can take a timeout and go for a walk. You can also take a timeout and call a trusted friend or family member or write in your journal. These other strategies should help you calm down during the timeout period.
It is important to make sure that everyone understands exactly what a time out means. For example, say a child is asked to clean his room. He gets angry with his parents and asks for a timeout. The child then goes outside and begins shooting baskets to "calm down". This could be used by the child to manipulate the situation, he or she doesn't want to clean the room, so he or she just asks for a time out. It is important to ensure that time-outs are used effectively, and with a general set of rules in place. Used effectively and appropriately, timeouts can do wonders!
This leads us to the next section: "Breathing Relaxation"
Click here to see how child anger management can be achieved through using music