I’m a dad to a 9 year old boy and I’m starting to get really worried about some of the behaviors I’ve seen lately. He’s had a few intense anger outbursts, one of the worst was at a birthday party where a classmate was bothering him. Even though the other kid was being annoying, my son’s reaction was way more aggressive than I expected. He’s had two or three episodes like this now, and I’m honestly not sure if this is normal or if I should be doing something more.
I just want to help him but I don’t know where to start. If anyone has been through something similar or has any advice, I’d love to hear it.
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Ugh, that sounds really tough. My son went through something similar at that age, those bursts of anger just seemed to come out of nowhere. I know how draining it can be, especially when you’re just trying to keep everything under control. You’re not alone in this!
Lol, I swear kids have a PhD in pushing buttons. One time my son threw a tantrum because the cheese was “too melty” on his sandwich. You’re not the only one dealing with these emotional explosions. It’s like they’re tiny ticking time bombs!
It’s great that you’re noticing these patterns and trying to help him through it, that’s already a big step! Kids this age are still learning how to handle their emotions. Things can improve with time, especially if you can help him find ways to express his feelings in healthier ways. Hang in there, it will get better.
We’ve had some anger moments too and I always wonder what’s going on in their heads. Does your son ever say why he gets so upset? My kid once told me he was just tired but then other times, it’s like… who knows? Maybe it’s something to explore with him.
My middle son went through something similar, and what helped us was introducing him to journaling. We called it his anger book, where he could draw or write whenever he felt those big emotions building up. It gave him a way to release some of that energy. Also, we did roleplaying at home to practice different ways of responding in situations that upset him. It’s a process, but it really helped.