It's happened to all of us, we are driving down the street, minding our own, when some jerk decides to cut us off, endangering them as well as us! This can set in motion a ball of aggression from either yourself or your mate in response to the rude driving move. From there, the rest of the day can find itself unraveling into a tangled mess on the floor, with even more anger and hostility to top it off.

A lot of people have issues around anger. They could be suffering from unresolved anger, their spouse could have angry outbursts, a parent could be the anger monger, of course we have all had an unpleasant experience with an angry boss, and for the most part, being the brunt of another's anger feels just as terrible as being engulfed in anger ourselves. One of the worst feelings is being the parent of an angry child, because we know that our child is hurting. But there are things that we can do to avoid the horrendous pitfalls of anger and find a way to diffuse some of the anger that may be brewing inside.

Researchers have found that exercise is an invaluable tool in heading off uncontrollable anger. In fact, they have discovered that regular exercise seems to reduce anger expression in overweight but otherwise healthy children. In essence, exercise plays a dual positive role in treating issues of anger in kids and overweight.

In the first published study on the topic, scientists looked at 208 typically sedentary 7- to 11-year-olds who participated in a 10-15 week after-school aerobic exercise program or maintained their usual inactive routine. They discovered that by participating in regular exercise activities their angry expressions and aggressive behaviors diminished significantly.

Of course, this finding builds on the research that regular exercise is a great help in alleviating depression and anxiety in adults.

It also gives parents and other caregivers another reason to get and keep children moving...naturally the boost to metabolism from exercising is a plus, but when dealing with orneriness in children, the side benefit of a more easy going disposition from exercise is a huge plus! Also, the “quality time” that kids and parents spend together will certainly serve as a bonding tool. All in all, the benefits of getting out with your kids and playing ball or going skating is something that will bring a lot of rewards to the table. Naturally, if Mom or Dad gets moving with their kids , the family itself enjoys a a more relaxed mood if only because there isn't the same amount of energy reserved for hostile outbursts! So, next time you find yourself wanting to wring someone's neck, stop yourself...take your kids and go play a game of street hockey instead! Have fun and be safe!!