Apply The Parenting Wisdom of Silence

When it comes to parenting wisdom, no principle may be more important than how we speak to our children.
What we say to our children impacts them deeply.
When we feel frustrated with our kids, it’s best to practice the parent wisdom of silence.
Under the influence of a disturbed emotional reaction to a child behavior challenge, we are most likely to say something that negatively impacts child self-esteem, self-confidence and performance.
What we say to our children forms their mental programming.
Telling a child that he never listens, calling a child a slob, labeling your kid selfish or stubborn proves to be a form of self-defeating parenting.
Skills in the area of verbal communication help you empower your child.
When we feel frustrated our parent-child communication skills are compromised.
The next time that you are faced with a child discipline challenge, before you speak, imagine that your child will forever remember what you are about to say.
Take a moment to calm down and think about the messages do you WANT your child to remember and live up
This morning, my 9 year old was making noise while his baby brother slept.
I felt like saying, “Why won’t you stop and think about how you are impacting your brother? He needs his sleep and I don’t want to have to deal with a cranky baby right now! Don’t you care about anyone but yourself?!”
But instead of blurting out harsh words, I paused, recognizing I was feeling too upset to speak constructively with my child.
So I remained silent.
Immediately I realized that all I needed to do was to place my hands on his shoulders and lovingly lead him to a place where his volume would not disturb his brother’s sleep.
I’m glad I applied the parenting wisdom of silence to protect his sacred heart.