Almost all kids lash out occasionally, hitting their sibling, screaming violently, or throwing objects when they’re red in the face. That’s normal and expected — but that doesn’t mean it’s fun to deal with. When kids act this way, you may rush in to keep everyone safe and quickly dole out punishments. You might, say, take away screen time for an extended period, and this might be delivered harshly if you lose your cool. Such behavior may make sense on the surface level; you want to discourage bad behavior through punishment. This is understandable but there's a better way forward — and it starts by taking a deep breath.