Sometimes kids can be SO GOOD… at pushing your buttons. Whether they are being devious, defiant, or just mischievous, it can be hard to keep your cool when your kids aren’t listening.
In this video Dr. Phelan discusses:
- How talking, negotiating and arguing can make you more frustrated and more stressed
- The relationship between your anger and parental self-esteem
- How to keep your cool AND get your kids to listen
How Anger Impacts Your Parenting Strategy
Anger can discombobulate you and most people lose self-esteem when they are angry. We get mad first, but then we have another part of us that tells us it's bad to be angry. This will confuse you and prohibit you from coming up with a strategy. 1-2-3 Magic gives you the strategies you need when talking doesn't work so you don't default to talk-persuade-argue-yell-hit syndrome. To manage your anger, have a strategy ready for the next tantrum.
What Parents Should Know About Anger
Parents feel guilty when they say kids are obnoxious, but kids are obnoxious most of the time. Being mad is okay and accepting anger is step one. The next step is coming up with a strategy to avoid or discourage tantrums and badgering in the future.
Hopefully this advice on parental anger is helpful! If you need more help with challenges like these 1-2-3 Magic is a great resource. We also have an on-demand seminar on Managing Difficult Behavior that you can watch and start using right away.