Tuesday, February 12, 2013

An Honest Confession

Sometimes I yell at my children... whew. I said it. In almost every case, it's because I am trying to get their attention and have been ignored 6,7, 8 or 30 times... and once in a very long time because I am really angry. But usually my anger takes on the quiet fury form. In any case, I don't believe in raising my voice, and I don't want my children to learn that behavior from me. 

I came across this AWESOME list of alternatives to yelling, and decided to adopt some of them. Some of these are my own. I broke it down into categories for myself, wrote it down a piece of paper and stuck it to my fridge! I am blogging about it because I need accountability. 

Get Their Attention Alternatives:
  • Sing a command (make your bed, bus your table, etc,)
  • Blow a pretend Trumpet (it's time to get jammies on, please get in the car)
  • Clap
  • Say it in slow motion
  • Say it in a silly voice
  • Bang a pot and smile
Stop a Behavior Alternatives
  • get up and go whisper in their ear
  • Sign it vigorously (we do a little sign language)
  • pick them up and carry them away from the situation without saying a word
  • Make a very loud and unexpected silly noise (raspberry, yodel) to distract, and then redirect
Blow Off Steam Alternatives:
  • Tarzan yell
  • scrub something (pan, toilet, floor, etc)
  • do crunches
  • write down everything you would yell, then tear it up
  • Say "I need one minute to think and cool down," then take 10 deep breaths
  • Say "I love my _________ (Katie ,Grace or Amelia)" ten times or until I gain composure
  • Kneel and pray




2 comments:

Lindy Ann said...

Love it Jill! Thanks for sharing. I am in the same boat. I've read similar things like this when frustrated with myself and yelling. Never held myself accountable to make a change. Thanks for sharing, I'm there with you, gonna make a change for real this time. I think the exercise one sounds great to me killing two birds with that one :)

The Dennett's said...

What a fantastic idea! I should apply some of these to those times I yell..because I don't like it all either! I feel like a completely different person, or as I call it "an ugly mom". Thanks for sharing!!