How can an alpaca teach anger-management skills?

Let Apollo the Alpaca teach you why social-emotional skills and coping strategies are a must in today’s stressful world. Tammy Fortune, Author, and Joanna Jarc Robinson, Illustrator/educational professional, discuss how the book, Alpacas Don’t Get Angry! gives children the knowledge to effectively manage anger and other tough emotions.

See the full Mom’s Choice Awards Interview here.

 

Why should children learn anger-management skills?

Children learn what they observe and develop patterns of interacting with others that aren’t always functional or healthy. Then they tend to replay those patterns and ways of being in adult relationships. Children should know that there are healthy ways to manage stress and anger. In a world where many things are out of their control, children should know that they can control themselves, they have choices, and they have the power to discover and maintain emotional peace.

Everyone deals with stress. Every day, things WILL make us angry. That’s just life. The great thing is, we don’t have to let anger take over and control us – we can control our emotions.

What are the most effective anger-management strategies for children?

Children (and everybody, for that matter) can use deep breathing to calm down and we can all use words to express ourselves more effectively. On the flip side, it’s incredibly important to validate how others feel and fix problems when they happen. These simple techniques are easy to use and can make a world of difference in all kinds of relationships. Of course, these skills require practice, just like anything else.

The book, Alpacas Don’t Get Angry! outlines 3 steps for focused breathing that are easy to remember and can be used anywhere. Grab a free coloring sheet, a bookmark, and a set of activities below. These free materials can help children learn and master important anger-management strategies and can provide an immediate sense of calm during an intense emotional situation.  Use the furry alpaca puppet craft to role-play and also have a sensory activity that is calming.  These fun printables can be used with or without the book.

 

 

 

 

 

Read about Apollo the Alpaca’s angry experience below and see how this book is a must-read for children who need help managing strong emotions.

 

 

 

 

 

Alpacas don’t get angry. At least that’s what some people think. Apparently, bees and birds and bugs and bunnies think so, too. But it’s simply not true, because, as a matter of fact, alpacas DO get angry, really angry. Just ask Apollo the Alpaca…

While they were playing, Lucy llama bumped into him and knocked him over – then she ran off without saying a word! Can you believe that? How terribly rude! Apollo couldn’t believe it either and his anger about the whole situation quickly went from bad to worse.

Apollo tried to express his feelings, but the other creatures didn’t understand, which made him angrier – frustrated, irate, enraged, furious even! He was soooo angry, he was ready to explode! What could he do?

Luckily, the friendly farmer knew just what to do! Farmer Joe taught Apollo how to breathe in and out slowly to calm his body down. Apollo tried it – he breathed in and breathed out until he felt better. Then he used his words to tell Lucy llama exactly how he felt. And what do you know? She validated his feelings, apologized, and promised to be more careful. Phew! Problem solved! Friendship restored!

Apollo found these techniques so helpful and effective that he wants to teach others how to use them, too. With a few deep breaths and some useful words to express feelings, anyone can learn to solve problems effectively.

Managing anger is a critical life skill that everyone should know – these techniques are easy to learn and implement. Can you imagine how much kinder the world would be if everyone managed their anger like Apollo the Alpaca? Deep breathing and appropriate emotional expression benefit everyone – even alpacas.

Don’t let your inner alpaca get out-of-control angry!

 

 

 

P.S.  If you liked this book, please leave a review on Amazon. Reviews help get Apollo’s story to children who really need to hear his important message.

You may also like my post, Tips for Teaching Social-Emotional Learning.

The farmer’s words to Apollo are wise, and his advice is very useful. I have already tried it myself, and the result is magnificent. I recommend you read Alpacas Don’t Get Angry and discover the best way to calm down and help other people control their anger. This is a book that should be read to children and also recommended for adults. – Reviewed By Astrid Iustulin for Readers’ Favorite