This is Salem.
This is Salem being mad.
This is Salem staying mad because I was taking his picture.
When Salem was younger… like 5 or 6 years old, instead of the whopping 7 years old he is now… he used to yell “Pants off!” and pull his pants down when he would get really mad.
It’s not hard for him to pull his pants down when he’s mad, because he’s a super skinny kid, and his pants are usually too big for him 99% of the time.
I have tried to remedy this problem by dressing him in 3T clothing.
Really? a 6 year old wearing size 3 Toddler?
Yes. a mom’s got to do what a mom’s got to do.
We used to laugh when he yelled “Pants off!” because we are a sometimes childish family.
And it is hilarious.
“Salem, put your pants back on… Let’s talk about what’s upsetting you.”
He’s probably been frustrated his pants have never fit right.
When we are angry, we can feel out of control.
So we yell out ridiculous things like “Pants off!” to control our feelings and the situation.
Why does he choose this way of expressing his anger?
I’m not 100% sure…, but it might have something to do with his nickname being “Mr. Pants” when he was a baby.
I used to call him “Mr. Pants” all the time.
I used to call him “Mr. Pants” all the time.
Salem usually talks thru his anger within a reasonable amount of time.
If he’s not saying “Pants off!” when he’s upset, he might instead declare, “I’m not wearing a seat belt! or “I’m not going to school ever again!”
Let’s face it, kids and adults find themselves getting angry at times.
How do we deal with the anger?
That’s a learned -sometimes complicated- answer.
It has to be modeled and taught.
(Hopefully, Salem won’t need years of counseling to work thru these issues when he’s older.)
…
We are a family who loves to laugh.
We also are open to crying, if need be.
In fact, my kids tell me I look and sound the same whether I’m laughing hysterically, or crying hysterically.
They can hardly tell the difference.
What can I say… my capability to display a range of emotions at any given moment keeps them on their toes.
It’s a spiritual gift 😉
Our family thrives on Joy and laughter!
We laugh at ourselves and each other…
We help each other see the joy in all circumstances…
We help each other see things aren’t usually as serious as we make them.
We help each other recognize ~ life is short and we need to spend less time being angry… and more time loving and laughing!
…
We are a family who loves to laugh.
We also are open to crying, if need be.
In fact, my kids tell me I look and sound the same whether I’m laughing hysterically, or crying hysterically.
They can hardly tell the difference.
What can I say… my capability to display a range of emotions at any given moment keeps them on their toes.
It’s a spiritual gift 😉
Our family thrives on Joy and laughter!
We laugh at ourselves and each other…
We help each other see the joy in all circumstances…
We help each other see things aren’t usually as serious as we make them.
We help each other recognize ~ life is short and we need to spend less time being angry… and more time loving and laughing!
Depending on the kid (or adult) and their personality, there are various healthy ways to handle anger.
Sometimes I am not the best example of how to handle anger…
I try and fail. and try again.
and fail again.
This may sound simple, but…
The more I press in to God, the less angry I am.
I can *see* more clearly the issues that will potentially trigger my anger, and prepare myself to have a healthier response.
This may sound simple, but…
The more I press in to God, the less angry I am.
I can *see* more clearly the issues that will potentially trigger my anger, and prepare myself to have a healthier response.
The more I seek God, the more I find Him.
and when I find Him, the anger melts away.
So I press into God for myself…
I press into God for my marriage…
and I press into God for our kids…
I cover them in prayer, and if they become angry and yell “Pants off!”, I laugh.
…
What are the anger issues you or your child face?
How do you handle them?
Please share and thanks for reading!
In Him, Leslie
Half Written Records 