As I write this I am thinking about children – children from the tiniest babies to the almost-adult teenagers. I am thinking about how devastating it is for a child to be a recipient of a parent’s anger, regardless of what they have done to trigger it.
Of course there are times we must reprimand them. Naturally they will cause us frustration. We cannot be perfect parents all the time. However, we must realize the power we possess to frighten little children, to permanently damage a child’s self-esteem, to make a child hurt or hate herself, or to crush a developing spirit. No human being deserves this.
No amount of frustration or impatience on our parts can justify this. If a parent cannot control his or her anger, or is having difficulty managing a child, taking parenting classes or seeking professional help is in order.
The angriest young people tend to be the ones with angry parents. Young people who hurt others are those who have been hurt physically or emotionally at home. Those who have no respect for authority or societal values are often those who were not shown respect when they were growing.
How we treat our children matters. It matters to them, it will matter to their children, and to the whole of society. We are responsible for how the next generation will function in the world – and that is something that we should not take lightly.
Copyright © Gwen Randall-Young, All Rights Reserved. Contact us if you would like permission to reprint.
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