Parents, Watch Your Language

Detroit Free Press ^ | April 22, 2002 | Patricia Anstett

[riley1992]

Jim Fay believes he has a foolproof way for parents to avoid arguing with their children.

He calls it "going brain-dead."

For example, next time your child utters a familiar phrase like "That's not fair," just say with a smile, "I know."

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Wow, it is not often that I get to be a "first" on a thread.....

We don't have to yell at our kids - we are not a "yelling" family, so even raising our voices at our kids really upsets them! I learned a long time ago, when my son was going through the terrible 2's, and 3's, and uh... well, you know..... I decided to whisper to him to get his attention. Believe it or not, it worked......he would have to strain to hear me and he got the message really quickly that he better straighten up or Mommy was REALLY going to be angry when we got home......

[Gabz]

and I'm second!!!!

This post has been printed and bookmarked. I could learn a lot from this!!!

[RikaStrom]

I was reading this and chuckling to myself. I destinctly heard my mother's voice in the "I kno-o-o-w" and the "nice try".

Excellent article.

[riley1992]

Yeah, I'm not a yeller either........

[Gabz]

Every time Jax says "that's not fair" I smile sweetly and say "life is not fair"

[Tennessee_Bob]

I attended a love and logic parenting course after my divorce. It works like a charm - an absolutely awesome program.

[socal_parrot]

"Empathy is the engine that runs love and logic."

Who cares?

[riley1992]

ROTFL

[riley1992]

That's nothing. If I make any quick movements, my children instantly flinch and cover their heads.

[Dan from Michigan]

That's nothing. If I make any quick movements, my children instantly flinch and cover their heads.

Bwhahahahhah.

Not that I know anything about that. I'll just say I have quick reflexes with my arm, left arm in paticular.

And if Mom's reading this..Hi Mom....

[socal_parrot]

My parents used to yell and hit me all the time when I was growing up. Did I think it was child abuse? No! Why? Because they told me it wasn't. It didn't affect me in my adult years. I'm just a lovable, kind, paranoid, stuttering, sociopathic, schizophrenic like eveyone else.

[riley1992]

How I see my mothering instincts:

How my children see my mothering instincts:

[socal_parrot]

LOL

On the other hand,

How I see my child-

How others see my child-

[riley1992]

LOL. That makes me insane. Try, just try telling someone how nuts your kid is and that is without fail the one time in their entire little lives they will pick to be angelic.

[riley1992]

She's not your wife anymore.

[xsmommy]

it is particularly unsettling when i hear my words coming back to me out of their mouths... when the 7 year old will say to her siblings, will you please be quiet i have a splitting HEADACHE.... i can see my lips moving to say those very words!