Author: Nina Lim More often than not, anger is a secondary emotion. For some children, beneath anger is fear or anxiety. Dr. Macnamara explains that “Children under the age of 5 to 7 are unable to exhibit courage because of the lack of integration in their prefrontal cortex. They are only able to feel one intense emotion at a time, so their fear can overwhelm them and when pushed, they can become frustrated, resistant, or attack. “

In this way, it is often more helpful to see beyond the child’s anger to the fear that is too big for them to handle. Read Dr. McNamara’s entire article by clicking on the picture below: