It can be so easy to look at a child and think that their life is perfect. That they have no struggles and they can just spend their life eating, playing and watching TV. This is an assumption that a lot of moms find themselves buying into without even meaning to. That is because adult problems are taking over their life, and all they know is that their children do not have to worry about those kinds of things. However, even if they are smaller and different struggles, children still feel them, and frustration is a big part of being a child. They are learning how things work, and they are learning that life doesn’t always go their way.
According to Understood, there is a difference between frustration and anger. The two of them can be mistaken for the same feeling at times, and it can be harder to manage one if it is not distinguished. Frustration comes out when obstacles get in the way of achieving something, and anger can be the result of ongoing frustration. Since anger is the stronger emotion, mom may want to try one of these 7 ways of moving that can help her child when they feel frustrated.
7 High-Energy Activities
According to Everyday Health, mom wants to look for activities that are high energy. This could be anything from running, spinning, or roller-skating. These activities are ones that get the heart rate moving. When the heart rate goes up, endorphins are released by the body and it makes you feel good. It also gets them moving and gets in a good source of physical activity and exercise.
6 Yoga
Yoga is not just an activity that is for adults, and it can be very beneficial for children. Yoga has always been known as a stress-relief exercise, and it involves a lot of posing and deep breathing. Yoga can be done by children, and there are a lot of YouTube channels directly aimed at Yoga for children. Cosmic Yoga is a YouTube channel that guides children through movements in the art of storytelling, and it is engaging and simple, perfect for children.
5 Meditating
Meditating is different than Yoga because the movements that happen with the body are all internal. Meditation is all about breathing and making sure that you are calm, according to Instyle. When children are frustrated, their mind may be going a million miles a minute, and they may need a moment to collect their thoughts. There are also resources to help guide your child in meditation. However, mom could get down on the ground and work on moving her lungs by taking deep breaths, too. We all know moms need to relax and recharge as well.
4 Punching?!
This one may seem a little odd, and moms may wonder why we would ever encourage our children to hit, but it is not what you think it is. A lot of people take their frustrations out on other people and, if frustration has moved to anger, this could be a dangerous situation. Especially if your child is going to school with these feelings. If your child expresses themselves through physical actions, a punching bag or an inflatable punching clown may not be a bad idea. The important thing is to establish boundaries and make sure the child knows that this is where they channel their frustrations.
3 Karate
While on the subject of children who need to get their frustration out with more physical meaning, karate may be a good idea for your child. Putting a child in a martial art can help teach them discipline and control, as well as letting them work through their frustration.
2 Organized Sports
Putting your child in an organized sport may help them get their frustrations out. They can move their body, learn how to play as a team as well as take their feelings out on a baseball or tennis racket. However, this one can be a double-edged sword depending on the personality of your child. If your child is ultra-competitive, this may not be the best idea because experiencing loss may make them even more frustrated.
1 Dancing Let's Out Frustrations
Finally, the last and possibly the best option is dancing. Moving your body is good, but you should be having fun at the same time. If you notice your child is having a bad day and is getting frustrated with their homework or project, tell them to take a break. Blast the music in the kitchen and have a quick dance party to “shake it off.” This is an excellent activity for mom to join in on as well, and everything will end up laughing and, no one will remember why there were frustrated in the first place.
Sources: Instyle, Understood, Everyday Health