From obedience and respect, to anger and tantrums. What is going on?

Anger is generally an emotion that occurs when a person feels offended, wronged in some way or denied something. When someone loses their temper it can feel quite threatening.

There could be different reasons for your son's anger. It could be a person or an event that has led to him feeling so upset and angry - it might be an old issue or something that happened yesterday. Whatever it is, it's crucial to find out the underlying cause before you can solve the problem.

You have to choose the right time to talk to him about why he is feeling angry - so wait until he is in a calmer frame of mind, and then talk honestly and openly. Try to be a good listener and find out what he's struggling with. Good communication is conducive to finding a solution. Arguing with him is not constructive.

Some forms of anger can be suppressed. Your son is letting his anger out on the furniture at home, but not showing it at school. There could be several reasons for this. He might realise that to throw tantrums in the classroom would not be acceptable to his teacher or his classmates, whereas at home with family he is able to show his emotions more.

It could also be that school life is not the source of his anger. Even so, it is important to find out whether your son has any difficulties in concentrating at school. Sometimes suppressed anger can affect concentration and the ability to carry on with your daily life.

Suppressed anger can also be related to fear. Again, the critical point is to find out if your son is fearful of anything.