Any parent who gets angry with his or her child (and what parent doesn’t?) usually does so with self-justified good reason. The reason is more often than not about a behaviour that seems unreasonable or unsafe or offensive in some way. Being angry is a natural reaction to such behaviours in anyone, especially our own children.
Being angry is one thing; how we show and act on that anger is another.
Here’s one rule of thumb before you react: remember that when you see or experience unacceptable behaviour in your own child, you are partly responding to the child who is still within you. Ask yourself about your own experiences and feelings as a child. What did you have, or not have from your own parents? How did they react to you in ways that felt positive or negative, fair or unfair to you? Always apply that rule of “Do Unto Others What You Would Have Them Do Unto You”, and you will be teaching the greatest lesson of all in interpersonal skills. And learning it at the same time.
In peace
You can catch Warren Redman at a couple of events in November. The first is at LaserHealth Solutions where he is giving a presentation on “Recipes for Inner Peace” on Saturday, November 15th. Contact us for information. The other is at the conference on Diversity and Mental Health on November 21st. Contact Helgi Eyford; phone: 403-943-6767
(403) 245-5463 or toll free 1-866-310-EFit (3348)
