Aggression

• Try to figure out about what might be going on for the child. Have there been any big life changes for them that they’re struggling with? Do they need to have help to feel more contained or more seen?

• Coping with a child’s aggression can be hard when you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’ve been hurt yourself or you’re losing your temper. So, the focus should first be to try to stay calm, because we can’t figure out what’s going on if we’re stressed or hurt ourselves.

• Think through what might be making a child feel like this, and then respond. Tell the child to stop the behaviour, but also name what you think is happening for them, e.g. “I know it makes you so angry when someone takes your toy, but we don’t hit people”

• Offer them a hug

• Find a way to get rid of the physical feelings (e.g. to run around, dance, stamp, scrunch up their face or fists and release them), or find a distraction (e.g. looking at the clouds and getting them to count them). Avoid bribes, however (e.g. giving a child something like sweets to get them to stop their behaviour) because this can reinforce their behaviour.

• Find ways to identify and prevent the anger – maybe you can ask them how it feels, or where they feel it in their body (e.g. “does it make your head feel funny or heart race?”)

• Sometimes it’s necessary to simply be a calm figure nearby whilst the child is letting ‘off steam’. Let them know you’re there with them and ensure they cannot hurt others or themselves. This might be in the same room or nearby, and other times it may need to be with more space between yourselves (ensuring they’re physically safe and know you are accessible if they want you).

• Let the child know they are not alone and that the behaviour is a problem, but that this does not mean that they are a bad person.

Sometimes we all need to ask for help. This may be from other team members if you’re a nursery worker, or friends or family if you’re a parent, or it may be asking another professional too.

Sometimes, the way we adults learn about what we are feeling, and how to calm down is by having someone be curious about us and giving us words to name the feelings.

In time and with help, we can then understand the feelings, talk about them and feel safe with them.

It can be especially hard to for a parent or carer to keep a child in mind if they didn’t have the support they needed when they were younger, or if they find these aspects of caring for a child testing.

It’s also hard when they are in a stressed place themselves, for example when in the shops, getting the food together, or worrying about money, having difficulties in our relationship with a partner.

When thinking about a child’s aggressive behaviour, it’s important to consider the parent or carer’s emotional wellbeing too. Is it the child or the parent or carer that is having a difficult time? Is it the child, or the parent or carer who has less patience?

You could also help the parent or carer think about how they may have handled situations with their child when they were aggressive. For instance, had they handled a situation in a way that meant the child had started to expect that their aggressive behaviour could bring something positive, like getting attention?

Taking a look at your own feelings:

If you, as a practitioner, are struggling to cope with a child’s aggressive behaviour, you may like to reflect on some of these questions too. When you encounter physically aggressive behaviour you could find it very hard to keep a child’s feelings in mind. This could apply if the action caused paint to you yourself or to another adult or child. The first feeling that may come to you may be to retaliate. It is important to notice that urge, but to then respond in a helpful way.

It’s important you do still acknowledge the pain you’ve felt, but in a way that prevents the child being overwhelmed by shame. Verbally aggressive behaviour may also make it hard to keep thinking of the child. You may be hurt yourself by the comments they’ve made, or shocked (for example, if a small child has sworn).

1. Being physically or verbally aggressive is a normal part of child development, and children need our help as adults to manage their ‘big’ feelings.

2. Be curious about what is happening for your child and why they might be angry – are they worried about something? Do they need a bit more attention from you?

3. Try to help your child find ways to understand and name their feelings. You could try putting them into words for them, like “I know it makes you so angry when someone takes your toy, but we don’t hit people”.

4. Help your child get rid of angry feelings by encouraging them to, for example, run around, count to 10, take big breathes, scrunch up their face or fists and release them.

5. Looking after a toddler who is being aggressive can be stressful and can make you feel angry yourself. Keep an eye on how you are feeling and try to stay calm. Take a big breath and trying to think ‘why’ it may be happening and how you can best respond to help them

6. Don’t change your boundaries. Although it’s important to be curious about what they’re feeling, that doesn’t mean you’ll respond to it by giving in. For example, they may be very upset they can’t buy sweets on the shopping trip with you. Acknowledge this upset with them calmly and gently but clarify it’s not what you’re buying on this trip.

7. Don’t do the behaviour back. If they hit you, don’t hit back. If they make a mean comment, don’t make one back.

8. If you are ever worried about intensity or frequency of the aggression, speak to a professional like your health visitor or GP.

You can read more about tantrums here.

Changes in routines, places to play and people to play with, as well as parents feeling more stressed and anxious, are all factors that are likely to have a big impact on young children, and they may feel confused and scared. Young children might express these feelings through more aggressive behaviour than usual.