What do I say/do?
You’re in the middle of speaking, and someone cuts you off mid-sentence.
Rather than getting frustrated or raising your voice, you could pause, make eye contact, and say, “Sorry, I didn’t finish what I was saying. Can I finish first?”
Tom's sister, Sara, made a joke about him that made him upset. What can he do?
Say "Sara, it upsets me when you make jokes like that. Can you please not talk like that around me?"
Jimmy and his sister, Sam, want to watch different movies. Sam picked the movie to watch last time but does not want to watch the movie Jimmy wants to see.
Sam and Jimmy can compromise.
What is taking a timeout?
The act of walking away from a frustrating situation to cool off is an example of this type of anger management strategy.
You worked hard for a good grade, but someone else does better than you.
Instead of reacting with frustration, you could say, “I’m disappointed, but I’m glad for the person who got it. I’ll keep working hard and learn from this experience.”
Pete is working on a group project for school, while his groupmates are playing around. What should Pete say?
Pete can confront his group members and say ""Hey guys, I know we’re all trying to have some fun, but we need to focus if we’re going to get this done on time. Let’s knock out the work first, and then we can relax after."
Taylor brags about getting a better grade than Jane on a test saying that she is "smarter than her." Jane feels offended by Taylor's statement, what should Taylor do?
Taylor should recognize the comment she made and apologize.
What is deep breathing?
This deep breathing method helps calm the mind and body, often used when someone feels anger rising
You’ve been waiting in line for a while, and someone cuts in front of you.
Instead of snapping, you could calmly say, “Hey, I’ve been waiting here for a while. Could you please go to the back of the line?”
You had plans to hang out with your friends that you were really excited about but they cancel last minute.
You can say, "I was looking forward to hanging out but I understand things happen! Maybe we can reschedule for another day?"
Your sibling goes into your room and takes your new Lego set without asking.
Calmly and directly address them, while setting a boundary and explaining how you feel.
What is frustration?
This emotion is often a root cause of anger, which can be managed by identifying and expressing it constructively.
You’re regularly picked last because your athletic skills aren’t as strong as others.
Instead of feeling bad or resentful, you decide to practice and work on your physical skills outside of class, whether it’s running, ball skills, or coordination.
Bill asked his sister a question and she responds in a rude manner.
You can calmly respond, "Hey, I get that you might be frustrated, but that was a bit rude. I just wanted to have a conversation, not get snapped at."
Frank is annoyed at his sister for distracting him while he is trying to do homework.
Frank can tell his sister why he is upset and she can apologize.
What is counting?
This technique involves counting to ten before reacting to anger.
You want to hang out with your sibling, but they keep turning you down, saying they’re busy or not in the mood to spend time together. You feel hurt or frustrated because you enjoy their company and want to connect.
Instead of getting upset or trying to force them to spend time with you, you take a step back and say something like, "I understand if you're busy or want some space. Let me know if you change your mind, though—I’d love to hang out when you’re up for it."
Bill is upset with sister because she was teasing him.
Bill could say something like, "Hey, I know you're joking, but it is actually bothering me. Can you please stop? It is really making me upset."
Katie is talking about what kind of movies she likes with Paul. Katies says that she does not really like star wars but Paul disagrees because it is one of his favorite movies.
Paul can be curious about Katies perspective and both can respect each other's opinions, choosing to have a conversation or not.
What is emotional self-regulation?
This term refers to the ability to respond calmly in the face of frustration, even when others may be acting aggressively.