Did you know that often being angry or frustrated with your children might be a sign that you have unrealistic expectations?
When children are born, they come into the world full of possibilities – in reality, though, we can´t help but to start picturing some of our own ideas of what we hope their lives will be like. Our day-dreamy predictions rarely include the mistakes, misbehaviors, detours and roads less traveled that inevitably are part of any child´s life. It is easy for parents to begin to become angry and frustrated in those (many) moments when things aren´t going as planned, and we can feel disappointed or even hurt by our children´s actions. However, all you need to do is look at a child development course textbook to see that, at many different ages and stages, children will test limits, try out undesirable behaviors and choices, act self-centered, etc. If you can recognize that your child is following the developmental path that is written into our genes as human beings and that all children strive to gain love and attention from their parents, it becomes easier not to personalize behaviors and choices as our own failings. Just try to take a deep breath and let it go.
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