Can’t stop yelling at your kid? Try these 7 ways to be a calm parent

Have you ever yelled at your kid and felt guilty? You’re not alone. When you are pulled to a thousand different directions when your kids fight or get in an argument, you tend to feel frustrated. You see your kids fight and let loose. Completely understandable! Most parents think they should stop yelling but they think that shouting might be the only way to get their child’s attention or the only way to discipline them. Discipline is important but yelling will not help in that. In fact, yelling is more likely to make your kid continue doing whatever it is you were railing about. 

But who will teach them the right things if not you? You might assume that yelling is not doing them any harm, but it does. It is something that belittles your kid and undermines the bond between you and your child. Kids are sensitive and yelling at them will scare them. They stop behaving the way they were because they get scared, not because they have finally understood the meaning of good behaviour. 

So, what should you do? Here are 7 ways you can stop yelling at your child and be a calm parent. 

1) Empathise with your kid. They will learn to empathise if you do the same. They will learn to scream if you raise your voice at them. 

2) Breathe – Inhale, exhale and repeat. Sometimes that’s all you need to calm down. Take a deep breath before addressing your child’s bad behaviour. 

3) Use a soft tone. When you use a softer tone with a child, they tend to listen. The softer your tone, the more attentive your child will be. 

4) Discover the cause. One of the reasons kids misbehave is when they don’t know any alternative to expressing themselves. Teach your kid how to effectively express their feelings. 

5) Set ground rules. Continuously nagging your child will never work. Instead, have clear rules in the house. Make sure they follow the rules otherwise they get punished. 

6) Do not expect too much. You can’t expect your kid to sit straight for a long time. They’re kids, they like to play and explore – everything! Understand their development appropriately before taking any action. 

7) Build a strong bond. At such a tender age, kids need a lot of care and attention. Use this to your advantage. The closer your kid is, the less likely your child is to act up. 

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