‘All parents snap at their children’: How to apologize to them

Source: Independent.co.uk

Jennie Hudson, a professor of medical psychology at the University of New South Wales in Australia, says: “There is this kind of expectation that children should be protected from feeling any negative emotion but that’s negative positivity. It’s not normal. It’s not OK. We have a range of emotions that include feeling irritated, anxious and worried.”
The most important thing is what happens after you snap at your children. Here’s their advice for coming back from saying things you regret, how to understand your children and how to cut down on snapping when possible.

Acknowledge your mistake. After you’ve calmed down, apologize to your child, and talk to them in an age-appropriate way about your feelings, Hudson says. Then you can talk about ways to calm down that you could have used, like going for a walk, taking a deep breath or walking away from the discussion. 

Give yourself a time-out.  While it’s not always possible – specifically if your child is so young they can’t be left alone and you’re the only parent in the situation – try to give yourself time to call a friend or scream into a pillow if you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

Remember children struggle to control impulses. Dr Sacks suggests putting a sign on the door when I really don’t want my children to come in that might remind them to stop and help them resist opening it.

Also read: Will there be a third wave of the pandemic affecting children?