Lost my temper w/ my 4 yr old AGAIN

[bettyjones]

Really need some tips on how to keep my cool. I can see it happening. I tell myself not to. Then it happens. So here I go teaching my daughter terrible habits. Today I told her to shut up &worse. I feel awful. How to model handling anger is really hard as a parent. I was never spanked as a child &even so it is hard not to do it.

[bettyjones]

The circumstances in this case was a screaming crying dd outside my dh's room where he was sleeping. I tried to get her to come downstairs. Then she I put her dress on but I couldn't set the baby down to do it b/c the 13m would touch dd' s toys. So I could only button one button. She began to cry I said come downstairs & I will. More crying, that's when I said shut up. I apologized but I know what I need to do is do the right thing in the beginning. I am sleep deprived but it is no excuse.

[lmkirche]

How about a time out so both you and your dd can calm down?

[BellinghamCrunchie]

awww, mama. This time of childhood is really all about survival. Be gentle on yourself. It gets easier and easier, it really does. It sounds like you're doing the best you can, and you're probably doing it on not nearly enough sleep!

Its hard to figure out the right thing to say and do under those conditions. For me, the best I could do was to hold myself still and keep myself from saying something I would regret. Never mind trying to model how to express anger appropriately... I just wanted to not express it inappropriately!

Hang in there. Chant to yourself "this will pass this will pass this will pass." Give yourself treats, go easy on yourself, do your best to get some breaks if you can.