When my kids were younger, I raised my voice more often than I should have. I'm guessing many parents do the same to get their children to pay attention to ignored requests. Of course, volume is not the only way to get the attention of a child who is in another room — or in another world.
I learned the value of taking the extra moment necessary to go sit next to my kids, putting myself between them and whatever distractions were present. Then I spoke in a gentler — and more effective—voice.
After I started closing the distance rather than raising my voice, I noticed a clear change in the tone of our home.
This article first appeared in the October/November 2011 issue of
Thriving Family magazine. Copyright © 2011 by Focus on the Family. ThrivingFamily.com.