Handling the mad

Feeling mad is a common emotion for children struggling with challenges in their lives. They may be angry because they aren’t getting their way, or because they’ve lost a loved one, or because they don’t fit in with the other kids. Mad often covers up other emotions such as scared, hurt, or lonely. But because mad is so noticeable, it’s often a good emotion to start with when helping children learn to manage their emotions.

I’m Mad, written for young children, works for all ages. The story is about a little girl that wakes up mad because the weather is bad and she and her dad can’t go to the park, a long-planned event. Her dad helps her think of different ways to accept her anger and deal with her mad. The book is written in a format where the child can pick the order to read the options for handling her anger.

The options include doing something physical, squishing play dough, talking about feelings, singing the un-mad song, asking others about their feelings, and planning something fun. The illustrations are black and white providing an opportunity for a child to color them in.

The book, I’m Mad, can be read to very young children, or older children can read it to themselves. It also works for older kids who may have low-level reading skills.

BOOK INFO: I’m Mad, written by Elizabeth Crary, 1992. Appropriate for ages 4-12.