I mentioned last week that my friend Jodi Richards, has asked that I come up with some object lessons to address bullying. Last week I addressed creating a positive legacy, Today I’ll address anger management.
As I explore the possibilities of how one become a bully one cause is anger or lack of control. I hope this object lesson will be of use to youth ministries, family devotionals and family home evenings.
Today’s objective is to illustrate to a child who may have leanings toward bullying to consider how anger can prevent them from achieving desirable goals and to illustrate why letting such emotion to rule their life maybe have negative long term consequences. How to address specific acts of bullying as it is displayed is a topic for a different lesson.
Before the object lesson, talk with the class/family about how the emotion of anger can prevent you from achieving certain goals. If someone gets angry about something their mind may no longer be receptive to learning that the slight the angry person may have felt could have been a misinterpretation or unintended. An angry person’s perspective turns to a high concentration of self and their hurt or temptation to get back at the person he or she perceives has hurt them. In addition, anger often prevents one in determining a long term resolution to a conflict that might satisfy both parties. Add some other possible consequence then the possibilities already mentioned.
OL: Line them up:
Objects for lesson. A bunch of plastic straws, a book shelf, three books (the same width as the straws) and tooth picks.
Setup: On a book shelf line up a bunch of straws. Rest a book on each side of them and on top so that they are confined in a nice row and won’t roll around.
1. Give the student a straw and a tooth pick. Their assignment is to put half the tooth pick in their straw and have the goal to transfer their tooth pick from their straw to one of those on the shelf without dropping it. They can’t blow through the straw but can tap and tilt with the hand that is holding the straw. Standing in place before the row of straws can be a pretty easy task.
Discuss how easy it is when they can calmly employ patience and precision.
2. Next have the same person start jumping in place. Have them say “mad, mad, mad, mad” in quick sequence to each other. While jumping and yelling “mad” have them try to transfer a tooth pick from their straw to one of those on the shelf.
3. Now have the class or family discuss the difference between the controlled attempt and the uncontrolled? Was it as easy? Why not?
4. In a discussion compare how jumping and yelling “mad” is similar to uncontrolled anger and can influence action and perception.
Excessive emotion such as anger can prevent someone from achieving goals. Here are some possible consequences:
1. Anger can color your perspective on a situation where you may misinterpret a circumstance to reality.
2. Anger can often motivate someone to hurt someone else even when it might be their friend or it is someone they would prefer not to hurt if they were calm.
3. Sometimes an angry person can be manipulated by someone pushing the right buttons and thus motivate the actions of the angry person to the controller’s intent.
4. Anger can lead to criminal behavior.
5. Someone who is too emotional often doesn’t have the current mindset to resolve a problem calmly.
The articles below discuss in further detail anger management.
http://www.counseling.txstate.edu/resources/shoverview/bro/hananger.html
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/consumer/10236.html
http://alcoholism.about.com/od/support/a/manage_anger.htm
http://www.babyzone.com/mom/womens-health/handling-anger-tips_68092
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/for-professionals/lesson-plans-professionals/1256?task=view
http://www.parentinged.com/bullying/Impact-Of-Emotional-Development-In-Children-From-Bullying-In-Schools.html
