So when was
last time you lost your patience with your children? To answer that, would you be looking at your calendar or second hand on your watch? The problem with having children is that by time you’ve learned everything you need to know to raise them, they’re almost grown. By time you’re wise enough, you’re too tired. One thing I have to say about having children is that it makes you appreciate your own parents.
A frequent source of conflict between children and parents is that they do not think alike, much to consternation of parents. For instance, I like putting things back where they belong so I can find them next time I need them. My children don’t seem to have this same tendency. When things get out of place, I can easily get out of sorts. But after much trial and error, I realized that it’s not worth raising your blood pressure over a $40.00 power tool. Nor is it worth damaging self esteem of your children (now that’s an overused word I bet you’ve heard before)! One way to abate anger you feel from having your personal possessions and tools strewn out all over lawn is to remember that it’s probably divine retribution going back to when you were a child and did very same things to your parents!
In all honesty, losing your temper is easy. Some people seem to lose it a lot more than others. Incidentally, why is it that those who lose their temper most always seem to find it again? Maybe it should’ve stayed lost!
Actually, losing your temper is most counterproductive thing you can do as a parent. It’s admitting to your children that you’re not in control. But in any dispute between emotion and common sense, it seems that emotion almost always wins out. Maybe your best bet is to try another approach when things start to get tense before you vent your anger. It’s easier to maintain control of your temper than to wait until it’s unleashed and try to reign it back in. Once you’ve gone past point of no return, it’s sort of like jumping off a house and trying to stop halfway. Too late!
Dealing with children isn’t supposed to be easy. In case you thought otherwise, your children will subtly remind you over and over again! There will be times that you won’t always know best thing to do, especially when it comes to issue of discipline. Unfortunately, children don’t come with instructions--if they did, you wouldn’t have time to read them anyway! Children, however, need some direction from you as a parent. And instruction. And because of time constraints, sometimes parents will skip over instruction that children need and go straight to punishment phase.
Regrettably, discipline is a part of every child’s upbringing, regardless of how you feel about it. No parent relishes thought of having to discipline their children so we generally procrastinate doing so until we’re about to lose control. And that’s precisely when we need it most. So, in order to act in their best interest, it requires that you remain in control of your emotions. Don’t be ashamed if you need time to cool off or to get help.
