Emotional Hot-Buttons…Stay Calm When Kids Push

Posted by Susan Epstein on January 28th, 2009 at 08:34am

It’s hard to understand why things with the kids can be going along smoothly for 3 days in a row they do what they are told, get ready for bed, give you those gorgeous angelic smiles….and then BOOM…like a time bomb… they explode and stop cooperating.

Sometimes we have the patience to see them through these “episodes” without melting down ourselves. We have so much to do and we need, need, need that 1 or 2 hours before we collapse to finish a work project, do a load of laundry, clean up the kitchen, pay some bills, set our goals for tomorrow and more. When they won’t cooperate it can feel like a personal vendetta against us. And we get RESESENTFUL….

But here is the scoop…

As adults, for the most part we have learned to modulate our emotions and keep them in check. We have learned not to kick the police officer and scream at the nice tech person that we’ve been on the phone with for two hours while our computer continues to crash.

And sometimes…we even procrastinate, put things off, get distracted…skip washing our faces or brushing our teeth before we go to bed, stay up too late and break the rules…Sometimes…yes, it’s true…we have temper tantrums right in front of our kids!

So the next time…one of these emotional hot buttons

threatens to throw you a curve ball…
1. Talking Back

2. Whining

3. Begging

4. Hitting, Kicking

5. Spitting, Biting

6. Tantrums

7. Swearing

8. Threatening to leave/running away/
live with other parent

9. Ignoring/walking away

10. Throwing objects/breaking things.

11. Intimidation

12. Melodrama

13. Guilt tripping

Remind yourself that if you join in with the drama the power struggle will last longer and all your plans for a relaxing evening (or getting stuff done) will go out the window. Think about modeling calm for your kids and teaching them how to regulate their feelings. This should bring you the peaceful home you deserve!

My 2009 Free Tele-Class Series starts on February 10!

Introducing February’s Featured Speaker:
Joanie Winberg
Website: www.HappyWednesday.com.
Topic: “Finally a Way to Understand Your Children/Teenagers”
February 10th, 2009 (Can’t make it? Still sign up to receive the audio replay)

Click here to register for FREE!

http://tinyurl.com/977f46