AGGRESSION IN CHILDREN

Aggression is a feeling of anger resulting in hostile or violent behaviour, readiness to attack or confront. Aggression in children is usually manifested by throwing of tantrum, kicking, biting, hiting, etc. Aggressive behaviour could cause physical  or emotional damage to the aggressive child or others.

It is usually seen as a normal part of the child’s developmental stages; as the child can’t talk or put his/her emotions in words, thus the only medium available to the child for expressing his/her feelings and emotions is through some sort of non verbal expressions ( biting, hiting,tantrum throwing)which could be perceived as aggressive. However, when this persist in a child, parents should pay a keen attention to it, it could be a pointer to tell that such child is having a behavioural disorder, which if not properly addressed at a tender age can degenerate to making the child grow up as a malformed teenager/adult.

                                      CAUSES OF AGGRESSION IN CHILDREN
Aggression in children may be as a result of brain pattern as shaped by prior experiences, specifically those experiences that have to do with relationships or specific social experiences. It is this brain patterns that trigger the “fight response”. The response of the child is always in an aggressive manner to ward off the perceived threat. This act is often unconscious, immediate, and out of the child’s control.

Aside the shape of the brain patterns, there are other multiple factors that interact and contribute to high level of aggression in children. Some of the factors are discussed below:

CHILD’S TEMPERAMENT VERSUS GENE: A child’s temperament  can interact with Genetic factor to influence the child’s reliance on aggression as the only coping strategy with situations and people in his/her environment.

INSUFFICIENT ROLE MODELS: Limited experience with ideal role models who value and provide good examples of non-aggressive behaviour that are worthy of emulation(peers, family members, T.V,)

BAD PARENTING STYLES: The method or style of training or bringing up a child as adopted by parents goes a long way in shaping the character of  the child. Parenting styles that are hostile in nature such as controlling, authoritarian, harsh, coercive,  permissive, overindulgence, etc are not good at all. These styles create a wide gap between the parents and their children, the wide gap toughens up the children which in turn result to baggage of bottled up emotions and feelings.

FAMILY CONFLICT: When all a child experience at home is conflict, this may be in form of domestic violence between the parents or family members. The child is prone to be aggressive . Other factors are; insecure environment , lack of appropriate problem solving and coping strategies, on going and unrelieved  stress.
                         TIPS ON HOW TO ADDRESS AGGRESSION IN CHILDREN
REINFORCEMENT : When a child behaves in a non- aggressive  manner, you should notice it and commend such behaviour , tell the child you are proud of him/her. This will motivate them to always comport himself by being of good and non-aggressive behaviour always.

AVOID PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT : Harsh and physical punishment is associated with aggressive behaviour in children.  When you punish your wards for every of their misgivings, you harden or toughen them up. Being their primary role model, discourage the use of aggression even in correcting them.

BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL: You as a parent, how do you manage your anger? Do you flare up at every slightest provocation? Children are good at Imitating their parents , whether good or bad, they imitate. If you are physically or verbally aggressive with each other as parents, your children will pick it up from you.....they will even do it better than you. Thus, the onus rests on you to model appropriate emotional and anger management techniques  to your children.

ADOPT A WARM AND SUPPORTIVE PARENTING STYLE: Do away with hostile parenting styles like controlling, authoritarian, coercive, etc. These do not help children because they are not warmth styles of parenting. Parents should embrace one-on-one and heart-to-heart styles through which their children can connect with them, and freely pour out their minds so that their parents can direct them appropriately.

STRIKE A DEAL: Write a contract with your kids by setting goals on expected  and acceptable behaviour . This will help in putting any inappropriate and aggressive behaviour in check.  If your children meet up with the deal, provide them with positive reinforcement, E.g a special treat, outing, etc.

IGNORING NEGATIVE BEHAVIOUR: Teachers and parents find themselves reinforcing aggressive behaviours in children inadvertently . This they do by giving these children attention  through nagging or punishing. Some children want this attention, they get it by acting up aggressively, not minding whether it’s a negative or positive attention,  to them any attention is better than none. Try as much as possible to ignore negative behaviours.

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