anger management

SO if you haven't noticed by now we are working on anger management in our house. It seems my son, who is 7 1/2 really struggles with it -- now we are trying to teach him that it is okay to get angry -- and I just read in Exodus 4:14 Then the LORD became angry with Moses. And in Matthew 17:17 Jesus replied, "You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?..... Both God and Jesus got angry with people - it is definitely a feeling that exists and I believe that trying to teach our kids not to be angry is a disservice to them! God has redirected my thinking and therefore my actions on how to deal with this. Do I want an angry child? -- NO WAY -- however I can not control my child even though I wish I could. Now when I see the signs of anger rising up I acknowledge them out loud "I can see that you are getting angry" Then I ask questions "what can you do that will help you calm down?" "how about playing the piano or guitar" "do you want to go listen to your worship cd or an adventures in odyssey cd?" "how about I read you a book?"

Now you need to realize it goes against every ounce of my flesh to do it this way. I want to say or shout STOP or GET A GRIP!! But he is 7 and I need to teach him how to manage it now -- not that it shouldn't exist. I want to help him find ways to deal now before he grows older and ends up using inappropriate ways such as: hitting or fighting, drugs or alcohol, food or smoking, spending money, crazy driving, or anything else that could harm himself or others!

I am thankful God got me to this place now! Is it easy? NO I wish I didn't have a kid that had anger troubles but you know what? Atleast I know exactly what he is thinking and struggling with -- he is not sneaky or passive at all -- it is all out in the open -- way out in the open! Is it fun when he kicks or hits me -- not one bit -- however instead of continually letting satan convince me I am a bad parent who is not doing enough I am going to CHOOSE to believe God chose my husband and I "for such a time as this" knowing that with Him we could survive this!