1 . Insert playfulness . Anytime you can be playful and silly , you ’ ll likely gain cooperation more easily . So rather than demanding she pick up the toys now so she can go to bed ( which she ’ ll probably delay because she doesn ’ t want to go to bed ), try making a game of it . Break out into song about how it ’ s cleanup time and ask her to beat the timer or something like that .
2 . Work on coping skills . Learning to communicate and manage feelings like frustration and sadness are key skills that many children ( and adults ) don ’ t master . Author of The Happy Kid Handbook , Katie Hurley , suggests body mapping . “ Draw the outline of a person ( or if you ’ re like me , Google and print ). Ask your child to think about all the places on his body that feel sore or different when he ’ s mad . You might point out that your heart races when you ’ re mad , and that makes your head feel dizzy . Doing this exercise with your child is important . Color all of those places red . Tell your child that when those places start to feel red , his body is signaling him to get help in a frustrating moment .” In addition , teach skills like deep breathing to regulate emotions .