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COMMENTARY: Learn and Teach Your Children about Anger

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Learning to deal with the above signs and symptoms can help toddlers avoid a difficult life. Controlling or managing anger can help them avoid the pit falls later. If a toddler goes without learning how to control their anger it can lead to requiring medication and or therapeutic interventions for years to come.

Published

4 years ago

March 2, 2020

Oakland Post

By addressing negative feelings with a trusted guardian, parent or friend a child learns to verbalize their feelings and are in touch with their emotions rather than wondering about the physical response. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

If you can name it, you can tame it.

By Dr. Linda McNair, The Buckeye Review Newspaper

Anger is an emotion and should not be ignored. Teaching children how to handle anger is better than telling them they are not angry and ignoring their hurts. Here is an example in preschool.

One toddler takes the other toddler’s toy that he was playing with and he starts crying and yelling, “give that back to me.” The teacher hears this and says, “Now, now you must learn to share. Stop crying and play with something else.” At this point the teacher teaches the toddler, to ignore his hurt and pain, to move on and get over it. The older this toddler becomes he continues to learn to stuff and suppress his hurt and pain. Some of the behavioral symptoms can be: breaking things, causing property damage, disregard of others property, verbal and/or physical aggression, road rage, frequent fights, etc. As, time passes, he has learned ways to handle his anger inappropriately, by possibly becoming a bully and/or a very angry boy who turns into a very angry man. As a teenager or adult, he can be diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder (IED). Uncontrolled anger can lead to other disorders such as: attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), oppositional defiance (ODD), anxiety, depression, bipolar, along with some personality disorders.

As a result of anger, the individuals will experience some physical symptoms such as tightness, tension, pressure in the head or chest. After an anger episode, tiredness, tremors, racing thoughts, inability to focus or concentrate, poor performance in school or at work, easily frustrated, moody, irritability, sadness and possibly blind rage.

Learning to deal with the above signs and symptoms can help toddlers avoid a difficult life. Controlling or managing anger can help them avoid the pit falls later. If a toddler goes without learning how to control their anger it can lead to requiring medication and or therapeutic interventions for years to come.

The toddler must first recognize when someone does something to cause bad or inappropriate feelings. By addressing those negative feelings with a trusted guardian, parent or friend they learn to verbalize their feelings and are in touch with their emotions rather than wondering about the physical response.

Doing this can help the toddler break down their feelings and look at what has taken place from an honest standpoint. Don’t ignore the negative feelings; talk about what he/she is feeling. Slow down their racing thoughts and action by having them taking slow deep breaths and communicate what is happening. By doing this the toddler begins to heal and this will cause him/her to dig deep inside. The toddler will get a chance to hear and recognize what is happening and can learn ways to retell their story. They can begin to visualize the incident and figure out how they want things to turn out. Dealing with anger can easily be rectified earlier than later. Either way anger can be controlled it will just take longer in adults because they have developed entrenched behavioral patterns.

According to an article written in the Washington Post (2015), one in ten Americans have severe anger issues and access to guns. That is almost 22 million Americans. If you stop and think about this; there are a lot of people who have not been taught that they are in charge of telling their own story and crafting the results they desire.

Here is a tip for children and adults. If you can name it, you can tame it. Feelings are noticed in your body before you verbalize them but once you say, “I’m angry” and notice the feelings associated with that emotion, they subside more readily than when they are not acknowledged. Knowing that you cannot change anyone but yourself you have to take charge and learn techniques to quiet the storm that is rage inside.

The choice is yours. Stop, think and breathe, this will give you an opportunity to think about your story. And remember, you are the star and the director of this production called life.

If you live in Ohio, you can always contact the 211 Operator to find out what agencies are in your area for help and always remember the Crisis Hot Line number 1-800-273-8255 is available and if you are having thoughts of harming self 1-800-273-8255.

Dr. Linda is a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years-experience. She enjoys everything about helping others. The best thing she enjoys is helping those who are hurting.

She is a certified IBCT (Integrative Behavior Couples’ Therapist) clinician. She was training under the creator of IBCT. She has taken several classes in the Gottman therapy as well.

Linda along with her husband Dr. M. Mike McNair founded “Pair of Docs Counseling”. They do nouthetic counseling. This is where the Word of God is seen as the leading authority in the counseling session. They do private couple’s counseling, seminars, conferences, coaching and premarital counseling. You can contact them through the Buckeye Review Publishing. 330-743-2250.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.