DON'T HIT... TAKE A TIME OUT INSTEAD 

Here are some ways to express anger and blow off steam without harming your children or anyone else. It is important to recognize that some of these things should not be done in front of a child as they may scare the child.

• Take time to ask yourself what you want and/or need.
• Rip up old newspapers or magazines and throw them around.
• Leave the house and walk briskly until your anger dissipates. (Only if there is someone else to watch the small children if they are in the house.)
• Punch a bean bag chair.
• Say, “I’m going to scream for minutes.” Then do it. Make angry sounds but eliminate words that might hurt others.
• Open the linen closet door, whip the towels out and throw them across the room. (Not at anyone.)
• Throw dirty laundry and eliminate having to refold clean clothes.
• Go outside and shoot some basketballs.
• Do an angry dance.
• Throw snowballs at a tree.
• Throw marshmallows into the sink and yell a karate type yell as you throw them.
• Take a shower or a hot bath.
• Blow into a paper bag and then pop it.
• Play angry notes on the piano.
• Pull weeds with vigor saying “I’m so mad!” with each pull.
• Throw rocks into a lake or river.
• Take a bucket of water and a rag and wash the car.
• Recognize that the anger is inappropriate to the situation.
• Decide to think. Resolve the issues about which you are angry.
• Write your own ways to dissipate anger without hurting others.