The anger box, an effective tool to control tantrums

The anger box is a child relaxation technique that helps children control their emotions. It is based on the story So angry! by Mireille d’Allancé, a light text in which the author tells us how a boy named Roberto, very, very angry, lets The Monster that destroys everything come out of his inside.

It surely reminds you of someone, doesn’t it? Every child has thrown a tantrum in their life. It is normal. In the story, when Roberto realizes that his favorite toys and books are thrown away by the Monster, he realizes his mistake, so he traps it in a box so that he doesn’t come out again.

Based on this story, the Spanish psychologist Marina Martí created the box of anger. The idea is that children learn to control their emotions and realize that when anger is intense and reaches a tantrum, it can be very destructive. It turns into a giant monster that we must catch to stop breaking everything.

We recommend: 5 tips to prevent girls and boys from throwing tantrums

How to apply the anger box technique

• Read with your child the story So angry! Talk to him and make sure he understands.
• If he throws a tantrum, give him paper and colors. Ask him to draw his anger like the monster that came out of Roberto’s belly.
• It doesn’t matter if he just doodles; you need the child to let his emotions come out through the drawing. Tell him to put eyes, arms, and legs on the monster so that it has an identity.
• Once the drawing is finished, have him crumple it up and put it in a box that you must close very well with adhesive tape or with a key if you have one. This way, that annoying monster won’t come out again.
• Ready, with this simple action, the monster is defeated. Your child will learn that he can control his anger, and it will be a triumph for him to turn something negative into positive.
• Be careful; the anger box is helpful in specific anger situations. It is not helpful to correct continuous lousy behavior, and it is better if applied to children between two and five years of age.

All the kids throw tantrums

Anger is a primary human emotion. We all get angry. Adults learn over time not to explode into tantrums, but children lose control quickly, especially between two and three.

Try to be patient; little by little, your child will learn to control himself, but in the meantime, you can help him with simple tools such as the anger box to transform the negative into positive.

After the tantrum, talk to your little one when he is calm. Ask how he feels and discuss with him what made him angry. In this way, he will learn to know himself and others better. The important thing with emotions is that they learn to understand them, not avoid them because they are normal.

Here we leave you the story so you can talk about it with your child.

Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara

Spanish version: Here