SANDHILL COUNSELING & CONSULTATION, LLC
  • Our Practice
    • Administrative Team
    • Photo Gallery
    • Standing with Community
    • Careers
    • Health & Safety Measures
    • Inclement Weather
  • Services
    • Counseling >
      • Individual Therapy >
        • EMDR
      • Family Therapy
      • Child & Adolescent Therapy
      • Groups >
        • Creating Connections for Teens
        • Teen Group (Stefanie)
      • Couple & Marital Therapy >
        • Intimacy & Sexuality Therapy
    • Virtual Appointments
    • Consultation Services >
      • ADHD & Executive Functioning Assessments
  • Find a Therapist
    • O'Fallon Therapists
    • South County Therapists
  • Request an Appointment
    • Payments & Insurance
  • Resources
    • Blog
  • Patient
    • Make a Payment
    • Patient Portal
    • Patient Forms
    • Telehealth Tips
    • Request Medical Records
  • Contact Us
  • Our Practice
    • Administrative Team
    • Photo Gallery
    • Standing with Community
    • Careers
    • Health & Safety Measures
    • Inclement Weather
  • Services
    • Counseling >
      • Individual Therapy >
        • EMDR
      • Family Therapy
      • Child & Adolescent Therapy
      • Groups >
        • Creating Connections for Teens
        • Teen Group (Stefanie)
      • Couple & Marital Therapy >
        • Intimacy & Sexuality Therapy
    • Virtual Appointments
    • Consultation Services >
      • ADHD & Executive Functioning Assessments
  • Find a Therapist
    • O'Fallon Therapists
    • South County Therapists
  • Request an Appointment
    • Payments & Insurance
  • Resources
    • Blog
  • Patient
    • Make a Payment
    • Patient Portal
    • Patient Forms
    • Telehealth Tips
    • Request Medical Records
  • Contact Us

Sandhill Blog

Who is acting like a child?  Hangry!

1/5/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
I first heard this “word” last November while in Disney World.  I was so hungry that I stopped my group (which included three other adults and five children) and said I was eating at the restaurant we were nearest and they could go on without me to the place we planned on eating.  I stomped off without them. 

Later, (after I ate) one of the other adults said I had been “hangry,” a mixture of hungry and angry.  He was right.  I had allowed myself to go too long without eating and a grumpy, demanding person emerged.  I frequently do that when I’m tired too.  I would guess we all act out inappropriately from time to time including our kids.  I wonder though, do we hold them to the same standards as we hold ourselves?

Think about this-has your child ever started crying/whining because they were hungry and you felt they were overreacting?  Isn’t that the same as when I became angry and demanding?  Children cannot always express themselves with words.

Have you ever let the kids stay up late in order to participate in a family gathering only to have a little monster instead of your child the next day?  Again, that is how children express themselves.

It is our job to help them learn how to express those feelings appropriately.  Here are some tips: 

Give everyone a time-out or break.  When we feel frustrated, angry, annoyed, etc and then try to teach others, it usually ends poorly.  It is okay to have your child go to their room, a time-out chair, or other quiet place while you do the same.  Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that this is how your child knows how to have his needs met. 

Once you are in a better frame of mind, ask your child to take a few deep breaths.  Then do it with them!  (Of course, you might be doing it alone at first if he still hasn’t calmed down). 

Next, ask your child to ask for what they need.  (Notice I say need-when hungry, we need food).  You might have to help them out-“You seem hungry.  Would you like an apple or some milk.”  Then ask them to  say “Yes please.”   Or “You seem really tired.  Do you need to take is easy today?” 

You can also help your child express his feelings by stating what you see.  For example, “You seem mad that you feel hungry.” 

Once the need is fulfilled, go back and talk to your child about the behavior you noticed and what he can do next time before it becomes that bad.

Also, make sure you are being preventative.  I know that I rarely engage in late evening activities for my kids because it is just not fair to any of us the next day. 

And it’s not too late for us to learn this about ourselves either.  I was prepared the rest of our vacation to prevent myself from becoming so hungry!  


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    JENNIFER EULBERG, MA, LPC

    ​Welcome Jennifer, our new blogger!
     Jennifer is a counselor at Sandhill who specializes in depression, self-esteem, and grief & loss. Get to know Jennifer as she shares her perspectives on life, contemplates value themes, and offers gentle encouragement. 

    THANK YOU to Stefanie Pisarkiewicz, LPC for her blog contributions from November 2014 - February 2019!

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT
636-500-9247
Locations:
801 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Suite 15, O'Fallon, MO 63366
13303 Tesson Ferry Road, Suite 50, St. Louis, MO 63128
​Email: [email protected]
​
Phone: 636-500-9247 • Fax: 636-634-3496
Employee Log In
​
Terms of Use
​
Privacy Policy
​
Social Media Terms of Use
Picture
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
In Partnership with Nystrom & Associates, Ltd.
Copyright 2025 Sandhill Counseling & Consultation, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Photo from apartmentshowcase