by Staff writer
Parenting is hard.
Personally, I don’t think any parent particularly enjoys getting to that level where they have to yell at their kid, but kids will be kids and there’s no limit to what mischievous thing they can do.
But is it really okay to yell?
Absolutely not.
In fact, a study published in The Journal of Child Development has stated that yelling at your young ones can just be as damaging to them as hitting them.
According to the study, screaming at your children could cause them permanent harm.
In addition to causing them to develop a lower self-esteem and other behavioral problems, kids who get constantly yelled at tend to have higher rates of depression and anxiety too.
Dr. Laura Markham, founder of Aha! Parenting and author of Peaceful Parent says:
“The power parents hold over young kids is absolute. To them, their folks are humans twice their size who provide things they need to live: Food, shelter, love — when that person they trust implicitly frightens them, it rocks their sense of security. And yes, it’s truly frightening for a child.”
Yelling at a child changes the way their brain works. It causes them to harbor notions that they are in danger, thus enabling the ‘fight or flight’ mode. This response becomes, over time, ingrained in their personality.
Scientists have also proven that yelling is an ineffective method of making your children complicit.
The better route, as recommended by professionals, is to engage in a calm conversation.
Responding with a sense of humor, whilst also maintaining authority will allow for a better connection.
“It’s vital you explain what they’ve done wrong and how to make amends.”
