The house is alive with the sound of muuuusic....

Mommy coping strategy #1: How to stop yelling at my kids

I may not be the screaming mom who overreacts and gets irrationally annoyed, but maybe I am. Sometimes it feels like children are little manipulative monsters who drive a splinter under your last nerve. It's those rare occasions that I become that mom, you know, the mean and loud one who your kids are afraid of, and who is ashamed of themselves for not setting the best example.

And with kids, you always know how you dealt with them because they copy your behavior like an obnoxious trendy commercial. My daughter has told me 'whatever' and my son says 'frickin', and it's those times that I sarcastically call myself 'Mother of the Year.'  

Maybe I'm too hard on myself, maybe we all yell at our kids and they will all turn out okay. But I hate myself for doing it, even if it's not often, and I've come up with a great alternative...

Whenever I want to scold them, I take a deep breath (yea, I know, that's not original) but then I proceed with my lecture in the form of a song..."Pick up those toys right now before I send you to your roo-oom" I try to end each line on a high note to keep the song feeling positive.

And then, even if they don't listen, and I have to get louder, or more threatening, at least it's not as bad in song form: "I'm going to have to start taking stuff awa-aaay, if nobody can do what they're toh-ooold. Maybe I will just give it to children who waa-ant it, and know how to clean up after themsehh-elves."

I feel better, and the kids respond better when they feel like I am not going to blow a fuse when the house is a mess. I'm still up in the air if it's totally effective, but it does lighten the mood and has really (stupidly) worked to help me feel like I am scolding less, but still keeping the kids in line. Because one false move and they will walk all over you....