A mother shares how her three-year-old daughter Alice thought shouting meant she wasn't loved. Two tips: pause and breathe before you yell, and if you do shout, apologize and tell your child it doesn't mean you love them less.
On World Let's Stop Shouting Day, I remembered this. When my youngest daughter Alice was 3, we walked past a mum who was shouting at her child. I said to her, "Ooh, that mummy's having a bad day," and Alice said, "She's shouting, so she doesn't love her child." Wow, that really threw me. I tentatively asked, "If I shout at you, what do you think?" "I think that you don't love me," she said. I was really genuinely shocked. It made me realise how sensitive kids are and what they make shouting mean. So look, here's 2 tips for you. 1. Try taking a deep breath and walking away and seeing if you can avoid shouting. And 2. If you do wind up shouting, apologise and don't blame them. Say something like, "I shouted just now. I really wish I hadn't. I don't want to shout." It doesn't mean I don't love you though. If you want to know more, drop yes below and I'll let you know how.
