Children pay attention to everything adults do and say. They also imitate and repeat it, especially when we don’t want them to. When you are teaching children impulse control you should provide an example with your own behavior.Pay attention to what you do and say to make sure you are being a good role model.


Take particular care when you are in tense or stressful situations and children are around. Remind yourself that you are being a role model.
Don’t assume that because a child is young that they are listening to everything you say and watching everything you do.
 Without doubt, you will find yourself with the children in a situation where you have to use self-control. Use it as an opportunity to model appropriate behavior and teach impulse control. Talk to the children about what is happening, how you feel about it, and what you are doing to control your impulses.


For example, if you are waiting in a long line, you might say, “This line is moving slowly and it’s frustrating me. I’m tired and ready to go. I want to scream, but I’m going to control myself.”
Or, for instance, you might say, “I really want that new jacket. I can’t afford it though and it’s disappointing me. I think I need to do something I can afford in order to lift my spirits.”

, Explicitly doing things like breathing, taking a time-out, and counting when you are upset provides children of all ages with an example of how to control their impulses.Even if you don’t necessarily need to do them, walking through the steps of calming yourself out-loud in tense situations provides a good model of impulse control for children.


For instance, you could say, “I’m going to put myself in time-out right now because I can tell I’m getting really angry with my friend.”
Or, for example, you might tell them, “I need to calm down. I’m going to do some deep breathing for a moment to relax myself before I get upset.”

, It can be frustrating to try to teach children impulse control regardless of whether they are toddlers, preschoolers, school-age, or teens. But you will all be less stressed and they will learn how to control their impulses better if you maintain a good attitude.Try to find the positive side of all situations. For example, if a child is upset because they spilled their milk, you might say, “Don’t cry over your milk. After we clean it up, we can get you some more.”
Keep a good attitude when interacting with the children. Even though they may be impulsive, treat them with respect and caring.
Monitor yourself.
Talk about it.
Make a point of using relaxation techniques.
Be positive.
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