Young children are adorable, yet they are sometimes exasperating also. Parents are also human and so losing temper or getting annoyed at times is natural. It is easy to get irritated and yell, but it is not the solution. Read on to learn how you can avoid yelling at your kids.If you compare parents of today with the style of parenting done past few decades, you will find that today’s parents are more patient and gentle. Almost every parent has stopped hitting but there are still few things that have to be kept under control for the betterment of children. One of them is yelling.
Recent studies have revealed that yelling is equally detrimental as physical punishment. This can lead to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem in kids. However, you can become more patient parent if you stop and think and practice the following tips to avoid yelling at your kids.
Tips to Avoid Yelling at Kids
Here are few techniques which parents can follow to avoid yelling at kids.
1. Discipline Your Child as if Someone is Watching You
Usually parents yell at children with reflexive action to something that is not acceptable to them. If you think that someone is watching you, you will definitely behave well and keep your voice low no matter how angry you are at your kid.
2. Be a Good Listener
Always give your child a chance to explain his behaviour. Before losing your cool, find out the reason behind your child’s misbehaviour. Perhaps you can teach your child to express his feeling in a better way than misbehaving.
3. Think Like a Teacher
Just like good teachers do not yell at children when they misbehave, you should also look at it as a new learning opportunity. If your child does something repeatedly, think about different ways to convert the situation into teachable moment instead of yelling and making a stressful shouting environment.
4. Keep the Pitch of Your Voice Low
You must have observed that even when you are not angry, you have a high tone when talking or giving orders to your kids. Try to keep it low and make a softer voice a habit. You will find that you are less prone to yell at other times also.
5. Be a Role Model
Children learn from what they see their parents doing. Mind your language and style of talking even when you are angry at your spouse. Many children yell at their friends or siblings that same way their parents do. So, model respectful tone and words no matter whether you are talking to your child or your spouse.
Effects of Yelling at Kids
1. Hampers self confidence
2. Promotes aggressive behaviour
3. Develops fear in children
4. Gives rise to concentration problems
5. Develops the feeling of being neglected in kids
6. Hampers emotional development
7. Hampers development of problem solving skills in kids
8. Gives rise to depression in kids
So, instead of shouting or yelling you should let your children know what you expect from them in simple sentences. This will convey the right message in the right manner and your child will be able to remember that always. Also, give warnings and reminders in firm voice without threats. Tell them what to do instead of what not to do.
Just remember that when you resort to screaming or yelling, you are actually surrendering a part of your authority. When you yell, your level gets lower as your child’s, but here your child does not know any better. One of the most important things that you should keep in mind is that you cannot gain respect by yelling or shouting at your kids. On the other hand if you parent your child with a calm and controlled manner you will set a good example in front of your child.
Which are the effective anger management techniques for parents? What are the effects of yelling at kids? Which strategies should parents follow to avoid yelling at kids? Discuss here.
