"The most important thing I learned: Probably that the source of my anger/rage is not really my child's behavior. There is something more there that is making me angry. Growing up with a mom who was angry so often probably decreased my own tolerance of frustration. I want to address my own beliefs that I caused so much of my mom's anger so that I can move out of my own self-disappointment as a parent. This lack of perceived success as a mom really fuels my anger-fire. OH! I also loved the sessions on anger as a helpful tool inside the right boundaries. Very helpful picture (a fireplace vs. a forest fire!)
Course participant

Principle 2
❖ Anger is often punished
One reason why we have a dislike of anger is that we may have been frequently punished during childhood when we felt angry. If we were upset with a parent, we might have heard, for example, "Now don't you get angry with ME!" Of course, the parent probably said this in angry voice with an angry face.

If a child slaps a younger sister, a parent might have said, "Stop being so angry with your sister!"

Over time, we may have associated the emotion of anger with violent and destructive behavior. We confused emotion with action because we were punished for what we did when we were angry.

#2. Definition of anger. Define anger in your journal. What does it mean to be "angry"? Write the first ideas that come to your mind. When you have a definition go to the next page.

Next: Principle 3: Anger is an emotional response to overcoming injustice

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