HOME

BOOKMARK

NEWSLETTER

Join our newsletter to receive news of offers and discounts

Search

AS FEATURED IN...


Lucy Siegle On Eithical Living: Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer

Weight WatchersŽ.co.uk. Now with an online plan.

Navigation


Parening Books

Search Now:
Amazon Logo


You Make Me Sick And Other Things Parents Say in Anger


Maryann is so focused she's blind. She's slipped over the edge of responsibility and forgot the real reason she is working so hard. It's for her daughter.

Being a single parent isn't easy. Between working, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning and homework, there isn't much time left in the day. It's a heavy burden to be the sole supporter of a young child. But when pressures and tensions are so great that harmful words spill out like bitter pills, isn't it time to stop and take inventory?

"Clean your room or I'm gonna kill you!" "If you don't do your homework right now, I'll break your neck!" "Just leave me alone, I've had a rough day."

These statements came from a woman who loves her daughter and she's working hard to provide for her. If you asked Maryann, she'd say she would do anything in the world for her child. But why can't she see that respectful communication conveys love more than a new pair of shoes ever will? And why does she have to be reminded to treat her child with respect?

Maryann isn't alone. Life is frustrating. We've all heard parents, married, single or otherwise, speak to their children in anger. As adults, we've all rolled our eyes at the dramatic threats, knowing full well they have no intention of being carried out. But does a child know these are simply dumb words spoken in frustration? Does a child know that the violent threats of bodily harm are hollow?

Whether over the top displays of drama are blurted in anger, or merely used to snap a child to attention, the results are unhealthy and damaging.

When little Billy tells a classmate he is going to kill him over a broken crayon, where do you think he learned that response from? And in today's climate, do you think anyone would consider it just an innocent statement from an innocent child? Billy would be sent to the principal's office on the spot. And if not, he would certainty be called down after the victim of his harsh words went home and told his parents and they reported it to the school.

What happens when your child gets a little older and has a real problem? What if he needs to talk about drugs or alcohol? Or she has a problem in school, or a question about boys? Repeatedly belittling your child with angry words and intimidation will break down the barriers of communication long before you even reach this point. If you threaten to "kill" your child over a messy room, what would you do if she told you she was having sex?

Anger has a way of creating very colorful and exaggerated statements. Parents and caregivers need to make a concerted effort to remove these damaging phrases from their vocabulary by controlling anger. Save the drama for a time when it is really needed. On occasion, shocking statements do have a place in parenting, but used on a daily basis, they will only sever to create fear or simply numb your child to your words.

Search your vocabulary; are you unintentionally damaging the relationship you have with your child? Here are some steps to help you take control when you feel frustration and anger rise.

  • Take a deep breath, not from your chest, but pulling from your diaphragm. Slowly exhale. As you do this, picture your words evaporate into the air.

  • Lift your hand, palm out, in a stopping motion. This will indicate to your child that you need a moment and serve to remind you that you are stopping yourself from anger.

  • Calmly tell yourself to relax as you continue to breathe deeply.

  • Wait until you feel in control. When you speak, intentionally bring your voice down, not to a whisper, but to a soft, paced level.

  • Then logically explain the reason for your anger to your child, voiding threats and harsh criticism.

  • It's okay to say you are disappointed or upset about a messy room or a bad grade, but focus on the problem and offer a solution or deliver a fair ultimatum.

  • If punishment is necessary, make it realistic. I don't know of a single parent that took away television privileges from their child for the rest of their life.

  • Follow through on your words.

  • If you do get angry, offer your child an apology, not an excuse. Take blame for your actions.

  • Closely examine the situation that triggered your anger. Was it really your child? Is there an underlying factor? If so, what can you do to correct the situation or avoid it in the future?

Anger is a natural emotion. It can't be completely controlled or removed from our lives, but you can change the way you handle things. In doing so, you gain an invaluable gift, a respectful relationship with your child. Healthy communication is a parent's weapon against the outside world. A child should turn to his parent in times of trouble, not run away in fear.

About The Author

Patricia Gatto and John De Angelis are the authors of MILTON'S DILEMMA, the tale of a lonely boy's magical journey to friendship and self-acceptance. As advocates for literacy and children's rights, the authors speak at schools and community events to foster awareness and provide children with a safe and healthy learning environment. For more information, please visit Joyful Productions at http://www.joyfulproductions.com

pgatto@ptd.net


MORE RESOURCES:

New York Times

Over 1000 melamine babies still in China hospitals
Reuters - 9 hours ago
Door-to-door screening of more than 307000 Beijing families with children under the age of three found that over 75000 babies had been fed contaminated milk ...
Battered Chinese Dairy Industry To Undergo Major Overhaul AHN
Over 1000 melamine-affected children still in Chinese hospitals RIA Novosti
Gov't shows milky way to troubled dairy firms China Daily
Xinhua - RedOrbit
all 304 news articles


BBC News

Rapid care 'cuts baby's HIV risk'
BBC News, UK - 21 hours ago
Rapid drug treatment of babies with HIV dramatically cuts their risk of death and debilitating disease, international research shows. ...
Early HIV Treatment Best for Babies U.S. News & World Report
Early HIV Treatment Cuts Babies’ Death Risk eFluxMedia
Treat HIV-positive babies from the start Science News
Reuters India - Plus News
all 48 news articles


SmartAboutHealth

In vitro babies have more birth defects
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Nov 18, 2008
A new study released this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that babies conceived through in vitro fertilization are two to ...
Increased birth defect risk from assisted reproduction National Business Review
Birth defects linked with assisted reproduction Chicago Tribune
Assisted reproduction and the risk of birth defects Los Angeles Times
SmartAboutHealth - dBTechno
all 111 news articles


Weight Loss Surgery Helps Obese Women Have Healthier Babies
New York Times, United States - Nov 19, 2008
By RONI CARYN RABIN Women who become pregnant after weight-loss surgery have easier pregnancies and healthier babies than do obese women who become pregnant ...


Hospital Welcomes ‘Miracle Babies’ Home
Queens Tribune, NY - 28 minutes ago
By Nicole Alibayof The monitor was showing a flat line and the baby wasn’t breathing. Nineteen minutes later the doctor was still trying to resuscitate him ...
Infant child care is scarce in Central New York The Post-Standard - Syracuse.com
all 2 news articles


Former Banker Makes Millions Inventing Baby Dolls
MarketWatch - 8 hours ago
Dan left the comfort and security of his position as vice president of Royal Banks of Missouri to pursue a seemingly absurd passion -- creating baby dolls. ...


• Playing the baby game: Parents facing a dizzying menu of ...
The Oregonian - OregonLive.com, OR - 7 hours ago
Whether it's baby swimming or baby gymnastics, baby music or baby sign language, new parents face a bewildering menu of choices for jump-starting their ...


Health Newstrack

Bariatric Surgery Before Pregnancy Benefits Moms, Babies
U.S. News & World Report, DC - Nov 18, 2008
TUESDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Women who get pregnant after having weight-loss surgery have a lower risk of maternal and newborn complications than ...
Weight-loss surgery bodes well for pregnancy Los Angeles Times
Risk Of Maternal And Newborn Complications May Be Lower After ... Science Daily (press release)
Go for pre-pregnancy weight loss surgery Times of India
Current World News - eFluxMedia
all 58 news articles


Child advocate: Abandoned babies not uncommon
WCNC (subscription), NC - 19 hours ago
“We do get our fair share of the babies,” said Johnson, whose agency works with DSS in placing children with foster families but is not involved with the ...


Edward Holifield: Biomass plant may kill more black babies
Tallahassee Democrat, FL - 15 hours ago
... there is statistical evidence from an August 2003 article in the Quarterly Journal of Economics that relates air pollution to the death of black babies. ...

babies - Google News