Anger Traffic Light: An Emotional Self- Regulation Technique
The anger traffic light is a tool for children, usually between 4 and 10 years old, used to help them manage their emotions; children of this age already identify the basic emotions but find it difficult to regulate them properly.
The anger traffic light consists of applying the traditional traffic lights to teach the child to manage their emotions, especially the negative ones.
It is noteworthy that children understand perfectly how the traffic lights that we usually find on the streets work, hence the use of the analogy of traffic lights and their colors.
The red indicates that we cannot pass and must stop, the yellow indicates that we need to wait and the green means that we can now proceed.
If we use the traffic light colors and what they represent in the context of a tantrum or tantrum, children can learn to manage their emotions like a game.
In this sense, the following question may arise: how can I make the child learn to relate the traffic light with their responses to emotions?
To apply the traffic light of anger, it is necessary for children to associate the colors of the traffic light with their emotions and behavior. In this article we explain what is the function of each color and its answer.
Emotional self-regulation
Why is it so important for children to regulate their emotions? Laura Chica , psychologist and coach, emphasizes the need to teach children emotional control and to encourage self-knowledge of their own emotions and how to react to them.
Likewise, it is necessary for them to learn that they can vary their reactions according to their mood, so that they can choose the appropriate reaction for each situation.
Ángela Cuervo, child psychologist, highlights in her doctoral thesis on sadness, depression and self-regulation strategies in children the importance of emotional self-regulation in children.
Therefore, we highlight the use of this technique to teach them to control their emotions through traffic light colors.
A team from the department of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, in the United States, emphasizes the importance of self-control and emotional self-regulation in people’s evolutionary development, since, according to the statistics presented in the study, the lack of this ability can lead to to health problems in the future.
Therefore, it is essential to teach children to regulate their own emotions and their responses to them.
The colors of the traffic light of anger
Red color
STOP, calm down. When we cannot control an emotion, specifically irritation and anger, we must stop just as we stop at a traffic light when we see a red light.
If we are because of anger, it is time to stop, to meditate on what is happening to us.
Yellow color
THINK, reflect on the problem and what you are feeling : “how do I feel now?”, “Am I angry?”, “I feel sad?”.
Then invite the child to reflect on possible response alternatives and their consequences in this situation. What is the most appropriate answer for me, what is the solution that brings me the most benefits?
Green color
AJA, solve the problem. Once you have analyzed the answer alternatives, choose the option that is best for you and execute it to resolve the situation in which you find yourself.
To increase the child’s positive response, it is important to reinforce each positive behavior that she performs; Following Skinner’s theory of reinforcement in learning, positive reinforcement makes the child feel that their effort is valued and perceived, and encourages them to continue maintaining these patterns of behavior.
In summary, as we indicated in this article, it is fundamental for the education of children to take into account the self-regulation of emotions, their way of dealing with emotions such as anger, fear, frustration.
Given the importance of acquiring this skill, we highlight the Anger Traffic Light, a simple, useful and practical tool to encourage our children to learn to manage their own emotions .
