Welcome to the Grump Meter!

What is the Grump Meter? The Grump Meter is a simple tool that helps people of all ages learn to manage anger. Although developed for kids and families, adults also find it useful in managing their own moods and anger.  This blog is for all of us. One grandfather recently told us, “At first I didn’t understand how I could use the Grump Meter—now I think about it everyday.”  And a 15-year old who resisted using the Grump Meter told Lynn, “I found myself using the Grump Meter in my head even when I thought I hadn’t been paying attention to it—and it worked.”

We’ve been developing and using The Grump Meter over the last 20+ years, working with kids and families who have experienced the damaging effects of anger—everything from difficult behavior that makes family, school, and work life hard, to dangerous behavior like bullying, fighting, cutting, or attempting suicide.

The Grump Meter helps people be aware of the changes in their moods. Here are the goals with it:

•  Be aware of the color you’re on: calm blue? grumpy green? slow-down- you’re-getting-to-yellow?
•  Prevent the climb to explosive red.  Once you’re on red, all you can really do is weather the storm. And the storm can end up hurting somebody or something, and can leave terrible feelings inside.
•  Notice when you’re climbing up the Grump Meter. Sometimes people go from blue to red so fast that they don’t even realize they’ve been getting angry. If you can see that you’re going from blue to green to yellow, you have time to do what it takes to calm yourself down.

One of Janet’s students said recently that she never knew people could learn to regulate their moods—and the behavior that goes with them. Sometimes we learn as infants and young children to calm and soothe ourselves. But sometimes we don’t learn it, or learn it enough.  And if we’re parents, teachers, mental health professionals, clergy, or anyone else who works with kids, we can help kids learn. Having a tool helps, for adults and kids alike.

Start using the Grump Meter. Write us with any questions or comments you have. We’ll respond. Stay tuned.

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