Many times something your child does can
make you look at the world in a whole different way, or cherish a brief moment
in time. It can be magical.
Sometimes, though, your child will know
how to push your buttons. This can make you feel embarrassed, frustrated, or
angry.
Often, as parents, our first reaction to
those situations is to yell. We can’t always help it — that’s how our bodies
respond.
The truth is that yelling is ineffective,
and may be modeling for your child how to react in the future.
At worst, repeated yelling at a child can
affect behavior at home and performance at school. It could even cause
long-term issues.
Fortunately there are good alternatives.
First, forgive yourself. If you yelled at
your child in frustration, just resolve that you won’t continue to do that, and
let it go.
It has always been true that the most
important time in a child’s life is the present moment. Parents always make
mistakes. Don’t tie yourself in knots for past responses.
Then, be very aware that you are not
alone. It can feel awful if your child
throws a tantrum in a store, bites another child, or fights hard with his or
her siblings. Children do these things. It doesn’t make you a bad parent.
Most parents go through similar
experiences, and you should take comfort in that knowledge.
