Page 64 - How Changing Your Anger Can Help You Be a Better Parent book

The Parenting Anger Log

The parenting anger log is an opportunity for you to learn more about the details of your anger
response.

The log is divided into six columns.

The first column is the angry situation that you find yourself in. Here you can briefly note the
upsetting event that preceded your anger.

The next column is where you write down what you are thinking about when you’re angry - your
automatic (trigger) thoughts. Try to capture your initial negative thinking process.

The third column is your degree of anger. On a scale from 0 to 10, how angry were you in this
specific situation? Zero would indicate no anger and 10 would indicate a high level of rage.

The fourth column is to record your angry behavior. What did you do in response to your anger?
Did you yell or behave appropriately? Did you curse or aggressively call your child a name? Did
you shame or cause fear in your child? Were you in any way physically aggressive?

The last two columns are to record outcomes. Here you’ll note the effect of your anger on yourself
and others. First rate the impact from -10 to +10 in terms of how you felt and what happened to
you subsequent to your anger. Write a brief description of the emotional and objective
consequences of your anger. Did you feel sad, relieved, or disappointed in yourself? Did anything
change in terms of your relationship with others? Are there consequences that you regret and that
may have impacted you negatively?

Finally, you can go through the same process in terms of how your anger may have affected your
child. You can use the same scale -10 to +10. Also, note anything they say or do that appears to
be related to your anger response.

Over time, as you become more aware of your angry thinking process and response, you can be
empowered to change parts of your anger to reduce the degree of anger and the way you respond.
Download your Parenting Anger Log Here

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