All children have the ability to push their parent’s buttons – it is a healthy part of their natural development as they are simply testing the boundaries. However, the way that we as parents choose to react to this kind of behaviour can make all the difference.

Next time you are triggered by your children, take a moment, take a deep breath and pause before reacting – count to three internally if it helps. This time, brief though it may be, will allow you to respond more strategically to the situation rather than simply react to it. You will realise that you have the choice to react in more effective ways that yelling, threatening, giving in or punishing.

You’ll find that you can diffuse a lot of potentially challenging situations by using this simple yet highly effective technique, and family disagreements and power struggles will happen less as a result.

Inspirational Quotes:

“Angry people are not always wise.” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

These are just a few examples of our Best of Parenting Tools. You can find more ideas and solutions to typical parenting challenges in our book ‘Kids Don’t Come With a Manual – The Essential Guide to a Happy Family Life‘.