Sometimes turning off the TV or tablet can make little ones feel frustrated and upset. This story about anger for kids shows what it’s like when big feelings take over, and how, with calm guidance, children can learn to handle their emotions and feel better.
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When Screen Time Ends
Ethan was sitting cross-legged on the living room rug, his eyes glued to the tablet in his hands. Bright colors flashed across the screen. Funny characters zoomed around.
He barely blinked.
“Five more minutes,” Mom called from the kitchen. “Then screen time is done.”
“Okay!” Ethan shouted back. But he didn’t really think about what she said.
Five minutes felt like one minute.
Soon Mom walked into the living room. “Time’s up, Ethan.”
Ethan didn’t look up. “Wait! I’m almost done.”
Mom sat beside him. “I know you’re having fun. But screen time is finished for today.”
She gently pressed the button and the screen went dark.
Ethan froze.
Then his face turned red.
“No!” he yelled. “I wasn’t finished!”
He grabbed the tablet back, but it stayed black. His chest felt hot and tight. His hands felt shaky.
“Just one more show!” he begged. “Pleeeease!”
Mom shook her head calmly. “Not today. You can watch again tomorrow.”
“That’s not fair!” Ethan shouted. His voice was loud now. His eyes filled with tears.
He picked up the remote from the couch and threw it down hard. It bounced on the cushions.
“I hate when you turn it off!” he cried.
Mom took a slow breath. She didn’t yell. She didn’t grab him.
“I see you’re very angry,” she said quietly. “It’s hard to stop when you’re enjoying something.”
Ethan stomped his foot. “I don’t care! I want it back!”
He stomped down the hallway to his room. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Inside, he flopped onto his bed and buried his face in his pillow. His heart was beating fast. His tummy felt twisty. He felt like screaming again.
Mom knocked softly on the door. “I’m here when you’re ready,” she said.
Ethan didn’t answer. He was still mad. Very mad.
After a minute, Mom came in and sat on the floor near the door. She didn’t say much. She just waited.
Ethan peeked over his pillow. His cheeks were wet.
“I’m still angry,” he muttered.
“That’s okay,” Mom said gently. “Anger is a feeling. It’s not wrong. But we don’t throw things when we’re angry.”
Ethan looked down at his hands. They were still clenched into fists.
“I really wanted to finish,” he said, his voice smaller now.
“I know,” Mom replied. “Stopping can feel like someone took something away.”
Ethan nodded. That was exactly how it felt.
Mom stood up slowly. “Let’s help your body calm down. Your heart is racing.”
“I don’t want to,” Ethan grumbled.
“That’s okay,” she said. “I’ll do it with you.”
She sat beside him on the bed. “Put your hand on your tummy.”
Ethan did, but only a little.
“Now breathe in slowly… like you’re smelling a flower.”
Ethan sniffed in a shaky breath.
“And blow out… like you’re blowing out birthday candles.”
He let the air out loudly.
They did it again. And again.
After a few breaths, Ethan’s shoulders dropped. His fists slowly opened. The tight feeling in his chest began to loosen.
“I’m still mad,” he whispered.
“That’s okay,” Mom said. “It’s okay to feel mad. But you handled it better just now.”
Ethan thought about the remote he had thrown. He felt a small, uncomfortable pinch in his chest.
“I shouldn’t throw things,” he said quietly.
“No,” Mom agreed calmly. “Throwing can break things. Next time, you can stomp your feet on the floor or squeeze a pillow instead.”
Ethan squeezed his pillow to show her.
Mom smiled. “That’s safer.”
They sat together for a moment. The house felt quiet now.
“What can I do instead?” Ethan asked after a while.
“We could build with your blocks,” Mom suggested. “Or you can help me stir the soup.”
Ethan wiped his face with his sleeve. “Can I stir?”
“Of course.”
They walked back to the kitchen together. Ethan glanced at the dark tablet on the table. He still wished he could watch more. But the hot, exploding feeling was gone.
In the kitchen, Mom handed him the big spoon. He stirred carefully.
“This is kind of fun,” he said, surprised.
Mom smiled. “Sometimes it takes a little time for our feelings to settle.”
Later that evening, Ethan was playing with his cars on the rug.
“Tomorrow,” he said thoughtfully, “can you tell me when there’s five minutes left again?”
“I will,” Mom said. “And when it’s time to stop, we’ll handle it together.”
Ethan nodded. He didn’t promise he wouldn’t get angry again. He probably would.
But now he knew something new.
When screen time ends, anger can feel big and loud and fiery.
But it doesn’t have to last forever.
And next time, maybe he would squeeze a pillow first before throwing anything at all.
If you liked this story, Storyender is full of value-based stories and other important life lessons in a way children can understand and remember.
