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Adele Hamilton, Editor Parent24
“That’s just what Dad’s like, Mom,” said my 9-year-old son. “Don’t get so angry.”
This was after I screeched at my husband for what I considered to be unsafe driving. And although I didn’t regret letting my husband have it both barrels, I did feel bad about the obvious discomfort it caused my son. I have told him many times about the joys of controlling his temper. Yet here I was, stripping my dinges.
Our sons hate it when we argue, they’ve made that clear often enough. I know how they feel. Sibling tiffs are my pet hate too. Few of us can say, as Tracy Engelbrecht does, that our children don’t argue much.
Family stress is bad for kids, and can even cause obesity, according to a recent study. (Adele Farmer thinks parents have enough excuses for kids’ obesity and should look in their pantries for the real reason.) Stressed kids can act out in all sorts of scary ways including taking drugs, drinking and self-harming. Any of it is not what we want for our kids.
Parents behaving badly does have a lighter side, as Tracey Hawthorne captures in her column. But when it comes to things like prejudice, says Sipho Yenana, we have no right to force it onto our kids.
It’s not likely I will altogether stop bickering with my man. Hopefully I can take it down a notch, at least in front of the kids.
Do you believe that kids should not witness parental arguments? Let us know what you think.
This was after I screeched at my husband for what I considered to be unsafe driving. And although I didn’t regret letting my husband have it both barrels, I did feel bad about the obvious discomfort it caused my son. I have told him many times about the joys of controlling his temper. Yet here I was, stripping my dinges.
Our sons hate it when we argue, they’ve made that clear often enough. I know how they feel. Sibling tiffs are my pet hate too. Few of us can say, as Tracy Engelbrecht does, that our children don’t argue much.
Family stress is bad for kids, and can even cause obesity, according to a recent study. (Adele Farmer thinks parents have enough excuses for kids’ obesity and should look in their pantries for the real reason.) Stressed kids can act out in all sorts of scary ways including taking drugs, drinking and self-harming. Any of it is not what we want for our kids.
Parents behaving badly does have a lighter side, as Tracey Hawthorne captures in her column. But when it comes to things like prejudice, says Sipho Yenana, we have no right to force it onto our kids.
It’s not likely I will altogether stop bickering with my man. Hopefully I can take it down a notch, at least in front of the kids.
Do you believe that kids should not witness parental arguments? Let us know what you think.
