BUILDING EMPATHY AND A CONSCIENCE
IN THE ANGRY CHILD
IN THE ANGRY CHILD
8:30 - 10:15 - A Realistic View of Today’s Children and Families
• Things You Can and Can’t Change
• Today’s Children and Teens are Different
10:15 - 10:30
- Break
10:30 - 11:45 - Understanding Anger and Moral Development
• Normal Anger and Problem Anger
• Why Are Children So Angry?
• Reactive Attachment Disorder
• The Conscience and Moral Development
11:45 1:00
- Lunch
1:00 - 2:30 - Fostering Empathy and a Conscience
• The Adult as the Model
• Encouraging the Angry Child to Care About Others
• Promoting Service and Respect
• Disciplining an Angry Child
2:30 - 2:45
- Break
2:45 - 4:00 - Teaching Skills
• Anger Management
• Communication Skills
• Conflict Resolution
• Relaxation
The destructive impact of anger is all around us. You cannot turn on the television or read the newspaper without the awareness of crimes and atrocities that can be directly attributed to angry people, many of them teens. How can young people become so angry that they explode in unbelievable acts of violence against their families, schoolmates, and unfortunate victims? This kind of anger was not born overnight. Many of these angry children show little remorse and seem detached from the suffering of their victims. While researchers tell us that all children are born with a conscience and are innately inclined to behave empathetically, early abuse and neglect can suppress this developing conscience.
While the children and teens you work with may not be close to the level of anger that can erupt in extreme violence, you are working with children who are allowing anger to interfere with their full enjoyment of life. Helping professionals cannot continue to ignore the long-term consequences of early abuse and anger on the emotional development of children. Children and teens can learn to manage the strong emotion of anger without resorting to violence. They can learn to respond more positively to anger-provoking situations and people. Professionals can facilitate the development of empathy and a conscience in children and teens. Lives can be made better and the cycle of abuse can be broken.
Participants will learn how to:
• Identify things you can’t control and focus your energy on things you can
control.
• Recognize the causes of problem anger.
• Know the impact of RAD on moral development.
• Apply strategies to promote respect and caring for others.
• Discipline an angry child
• Teach skills that will facilitate pro-social behaviors.