4 Careless Behaviors that Trigger Anger in Moms – Solutions Included

Anger Triggers
Overworked Moms Lose Their Tempers.


Tired moms come home to sprawling clutter, kids playing videos, and dinner to fix. No wonder they explode.

Mom: “Who left their dirty dishes in the sink?”

Kids don’t answer. They keep playing video games.

Mom: “You kids are so lazy! You expect me to do everything.”

Kids pout and sigh. But they keep playing.

Mom: “You turn that thing off and get out here.”

The kids turn off their games and slowly drag their feet.

They’ve heard it all before.

Every day after school kids drop their coats, books and boots on the floor, eat snacks, leave a mess, and relax with video games. When Mom comes home, the shouting begins.

4 Careless Behaviors That Trigger Moms' Anger:

  1. Messy kids' bedrooms
  2. Dirty dishes in sink
  3. Filthy floor
  4. Loud video games

Exhausted Moms and Guilt

 “This isn’t the picture I dreamed when I thought about having kids. I hate shouting at my kids. Now they're angry at me.”


This was my dream of raising kids

What to Do?

  1. Don’t start cleaning up. It will just make you more upset.
  2. Take care of yourself first. Calm down by taking a nap, a bubble bath, eating a snack, or doing something you enjoy.
  3. Be thinking about ways to handle the situation without anger.
  4. Plan a family meeting to discuss the problem.

What to Include in the Family Meeting:

  1. Schedule it when everyone has calmed down - very important.
  2. Avoid making it a complaint session.
  3. Start with compliments for all.
  4. Bring up the problem. Ask members, “How can we solve it?”
  5. Write down solutions from each member.
  6. Group picks the best solutions.
  7. Each member makes a specific commitment to solve the problem.
  8. Post the commitments on the fridge.
  9. End with more compliments for each member and a dessert.

Make family meetings a regular event both to solve problems and to plan fun times together.

Conclusion for Tired Moms with Careless Kids:

Overworked moms and dads get upset with careless children. Yelling, lecturing, and put-downs follow. But they don’t motivate kids to help.

Family meetings, if they don’t become gripe sessions, can become positive events that solve problems. They teach kids listening and speaking skills. They train kids to work together within the family. Family meetings teach priceless life skills that build character too.

Related Video:

Frustrated Moms - 10 Temper Triggers with Solutions



You might also like:

33 Family Meetings Kids Love




Thank you so much.

With warm wishes, 

Jean Tracy, MSS


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Printable Holiday Coupons Your Children Can Give as Gifts - A Freebie

Coupon Character Xmas 449



Today’s parenting giveaway is a set of gift-giving coupons for kids. Your youngster can give them to whomever he or she wishes.

3 Rules for Caring Coupons - Your Child Must:

  1. Be able to do them.
  2. Promise to do them within a time limit.
  3. Give something the receiver would like.

Who Will Receive Your Child’s Gift Awards?

It’s up to your child and here are 5 possibilities:

  • Parents
  • Siblings
  • Grandparents
  • Relatives
  • Friends

These Gift Certificates Can Include:

  1. Work coupons
  2. Fun activities
  3. Caring compliments etc.

Brainstorm with your child what kind of specific awards to give like helpful chores, games to play together, or a list of loving compliments.

Work Coupons Can Include:

  • Fold laundry
  • Fix a dinner salad
  • Weed a flower bed

Fun Activities Can Include:

  • Play a board game together
  • Create a treasure hunt
  • Bake cookies

Loving Words Can include:

  • Drawing a picture of the receiver. Then add loving words in the title. 
  • Writing out 5 loving compliments about the receiver.
  • Asking the receiver to tell her 3 stories about the recipient's childhood. This could include coupons for Mom, Dad, Grandma, or Grandpa.


Coupon Character Xmas Girl 450


To receive your coupons, go to www.KidsDiscuss.com and insert the code word: 


Then Download and Copy as Many Coupons as You Like.



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Jean Tracy, MSS


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Helping Children Overcome Shyness and Make Friends

Passive Girl 800
Don't Let Your Bashful Child Be Lonely!


Timid kids feel pain. Parents watch and suffer. Loneliness wins.

Imagine your child sitting alone in the lunchroom thinking,

“No one will sit with me. Nobody likes me.”

What does she feel? Does she rush to the bathroom and hide until classes start again?

Bashful kids don’t have to be friendless. You can help. There is a 3-part blueprint that works.

Go slow. Keep the steps small. Why? Because shy kids are overwhelmed by fearful thoughts and feelings. Big leaps don’t work.

3 Don’ts for Overcoming Shyness

  1. Don’t speak up for your children because they’ll lose the chance to speak up for themselves.
  2. Don’t make excuses for your children because they’ll rely on those excuses and not try.
  3. Don’t put your children down for being shy because your comments will add to their misery.

3 Do’s for Helping Shy Kids Make Friends

  1. Do ask if they’d like to make friends because you want to know if they’ll cooperate.
  2. Do ask, “What stops you from making friends?" because the answer is important and will help you guide them with the blueprint.
  3. Do tell them that making friends is a skill they can learn because it will give them the hope they need.


Timid Girls and Boys 800
A Few Friends Can Make a Big Difference.


Shy kids need your patience because impatience shuts them down. Remember, even tiny steps require taking risks. Your children may never become an outgoing extrovert or big talker. But, with your help, they can overcome loneliness and satisfy their need for a few close friends.   


Pick up the Blueprint by inserting the code, SPEAK UP at:




You may also like my kindle book for kids with stories and 75 real tips for creating friendships at: Amazon.com

Jean Tracy Friendship 800
Friendships Bring Happiness to Kids




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With warm wishes,

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The Assertive Child - 5 Role-Plays for Your Dinner Discussions

Girl and Boy Smiling 450
How Do Assertive Children Express Themselves?




  1. Describe what offends you.  
  2. State your feeling.
  3. Suggest a solution.


Assertive Kids 450

In this gift your kids will role-play:  




Download the formula now at www.KidsDiscuss.com using the code word:



You might also like: How Parents Teach Assertive Skills to Kids




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Parenting the Aggressive Entitled Child to Think Realistically

Boy Crown 800
You Can Raise a Kinder Reasonable Child





Respectful Boy Justin 800
Teaching the Entitled Child How to Be Realistic



Mom: Remember when I arranged a birthday party for Grandpa?

Justin: Yah.


Justin: Did you?


Justin: How did that help you?

Mom: Can you guess?

Justin: No.



Mom: That’s right. How might that thought help you?



Justin: Yah.




Conclusion for Helping Entitled Kids Become Reasonable



A Gift for You:

Reasonable Child 800

Pick Up:

 10 Ways Successful Parents Handle Their Aggressive Child

Insert the code word: AGGRESSIVE and download your gift.




How Parents and Kids Discuss Emotions




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How Smart Parents Teach Assertive Skills and Stop the Fights - Video

Sister and Brother Fighting 650
"Stop Blaming Me!" "Stop Taking My Stuff!"
             Sound Familiar?


Do your kids bicker? Is it grating on your nerves? Some quarreling is normal. But if your kids continually fight, it’s a telling sign to “Detour! Danger Ahead!”

My brother and I fought so much that years later my mother told me, “I thought you were going to kill each other.” A slight exaggeration but we did yell, wrestle, and throw some punches. Underneath it all, I really did love him and if anyone criticized him, I ached inside.

When we fought our mother would yell, “Stop!” She’d complain. She’d even lecture. But she had been an only child and never experienced sibling rivalry. She didn’t have a clue how to help us be civil and neither did we.

Assertive Role-Playing

Confused Mom 1000
How Do I Teach My Kids Assertive Skills?


Assertive role-playing can be taught using “Instant Replay.” This parenting technique is assertive because kids must come up with their own answers and then act them out. It uses Time Out.

I remember being sent to bed after many a fight. It often lasted the whole afternoon, but it didn’t work. I just took long naps.

With Instant Replay you separate your kids and send them to different boring places within your home. They come back to you after each child brainstorms 3 good ways they could have handled their disagreement without fighting. Then you tell them, “Act out the best one. When done, they shake hands and are free to go off to play.

I like this strategy because you’re no longer the judge and jury. You don’t choose who’s right and who’s wrong. You don’t even come up with solutions. Your children solve their own problems.

The Assertive Formula

Brother and Sister Assertive 1000
The Assertive Formula Works


This formula includes 5 parts:

  1. The Assertive Voice
  2. The Assertive Face
  3. The Assertive Posture
  4. The Assertive Words
  5. The Assertive Role-Play

The video below shows parents and children several simple suggestions to practice within each part.

Before teaching this formula, I suggest practicing it with your partner first. Why? Because your example is the most powerful way for kids to learn.

Watch Now: How Parents Teach Assertiveness Skills

Practice One Sibling Solution Per Dinner Discussion




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Jean Tracy, MSS


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Open-Minded Kids – How Parents Open Closed Minds

Broad-Minded Parents Help Kids Think Outside the Box.


It’s easier to unlock kid’s brains when parents are open to new ideas.

Today, we’ll look at 3 traps for close-minded parents and 3 advantages for being an open parent. We’ll also share 2 examples from your children’s lives that you can use immediately. They'll help your kids open their minds. At the end you'll find a new SlideShare with 7 open-minded discussion questions. I hope you'll use them with your children.

Narrow-Minded Parents Fall into 3 Traps When They:

  1. Stop listening they end up turning their kids off.
  2. Judge their children harshly when they don't agree.
  3. Demand their kids think the same way they do.

When kids aren’t heard, feel judged, and experience mind control, they can:

  1. Feel resentment toward parents.
  2. Plug their ears.
  3. Keep their real thoughts to themselves.

3 Advantages of Open-Minded Parents

  1. They listen well which gives their children the attention and respect they want.
  2. They receive respect from kids who may open their ears in return.
  3. They find out what their kids really think and can better guide them.

How to Solve 2 Childhood Problems with Open Minds


Yawning Boy 800
Many Kids Engage in Bedtime Battles.


When parents are open to hearing their youngsters ideas, kids can look at bedtime decisions with fresh eyes.

Ask: “Should kids have the same bedtime on weekends as school nights?”

  1. Let them share all their opinions, even if you don’t like them. Just listen.
  2. Ask them to list all the reasons for the opposite side. Just listen.
  3. Tell them to blend the best of both sides so both of you can accept them.
  4. Now it’s your turn to share your opinions and the opposite side. Then blend the best of both.
  5. Search for a compromise with your child. Take all the time you need.

Suggest you both try the new solution for a couple of weeks.

Signs that you both still need to compromise may be:

  1. Your student doesn’t get up on time.
  2. Your child yawns from tiredness at school and home.
  3. Your child is cranky during the day because he’s tired.

Remember, when children get to participate in the rules, they are more likely to follow them.


Chores 800
Does Your Child Like Responsibilities?


Responsibilities restrict freedom. Yet to have a freedom, there is a matching responsibility. Here are some to consider:

  1. Freedom to watch TV or play video games could mean completing homework first.
  2. Freedom to eat a snack could mean cleaning the mess afterward.
  3. Freedom to own a dog means feeding her and taking her for walks.

Discuss with your youngster more freedoms with related responsibilities.

Ask: “Is it important for kids to have responsibilities?”

  1. Listen well as your child shares both pro and con ideas.
  2. Ask questions that help your child think more deeply.
  3. Give your ideas when your student is finished.
  4. Ask, “Is there is a household responsibility you’d like to discuss?” If so, use the 2-sided method we used with the bedtime discussion.
  5. Insist on respect throughtout.

Summary – How Parents Open Closed Minds

The advantages of being an open-minded parent are mutual listening, great discussions and acceptable solutions. Helping your kids see more than their point of view teaches them to become problem solvers and wise compromisers who think outside the box. Their brains won’t be chained to stubborn thinking either.


Smart Parents 800
Open-Minded Discussions Promote Broad-Minded


Enjoy this SlideShare with additional questions for teaching open-mindedness with delightful discussions. The transcript is included. Feel free to copy it.

How Smart Parents Raise Open-Minded Kids




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With warm wishes, 

Jean Tracy, MSS


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3 Parenting Tips: How Kids Discuss Making Excuses

"It wasn't my fault."






  1. “It Wasn’t My Fault”


  3. By blaming Tommy, what could Josh avoid?
  4. What advice would you give Josh?


I forgot 1000
Narrow-Minded Kids Might Say, "I Forgot."


  1. “I Forgot”



  4. What advice would you give Sheila? Why?


You're so mean 1000
            Narrow-Minded Kids Might Tell a Parent,                   
"You're So Mean!"


  1. “You’re So Mean.”


“Do I have to?”, asked Jerry.



  1. Why did Jerry yell that his dad was mean?




Here are similar posts you might find helpful:

Character Tips for Parents of Kids Who Whine

Parenting Skills - Turning Your Kids Into Independent Thinkers



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With warm wishes, 

Jean Tracy, MSS


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Parenting - 2 Childhood Dilemmas for Teaching Kids Empathy

Boy Cheating
Teaching Empathy Through Dilemmas
       Can Be Done


Childhood dilemmas help your kids think more deeply about choices.  They can teach empathy too. 

In this post, Carter is a math whiz. But he didn't study for his test and he couldn't remember how to solve some problems. He secretly pulled out his calculator and cheated. 

Ask your child questions like:

1. Can you understand Carter's feelings? Please explain.

2. What thoughts might have helped Carter to avoid cheating?

3. Can you explain Carter's dilemma?

4. What advice would you give Carter? Why?

5. Have you ever faced a difficult dilemma where you had to make a quick choice?

6. Would you like to discuss it?

Having empathy for someone doesn't mean you agree with their behavior. Empathy can soften harsh judgments and can help the person deal with what they've done.


Understanding Others Is a Form of Empathy.


Meredith wanted to see an R rated movie, but her mother disapproved. Meredith's friends were going. So Mededith decided to take her mom's money from the cookie jar and sneak off with her friends. Her mother nabbed her in the act.

Ask your child:

1. Can you understand Meredith's feelings about seeing the movie with her friends?

2. How many solutions can you think of to help Meredith avoid stealing?

3. If Meredith's mom hadn't caught her, how might she have felt about taking the money?

4. What advice would you give Meredith?

5. Have you ever felt a strong desire to do something, but your parents disapproved?

6. If yes, can you talk about it?

Understanding others' problems can help your child forgive others when they've been wronged, enjoy a kinder heart, and accept herself when she makes her own errors in judgment.

When you chat with your child about childhood dilemmas, you teach character, understanding, and empathy for others. 

Father and Son 700
Kids Love to Share Their Thoughts with Parents Who


When kids think through specific dilemmas, it helps them with decisions and choices because a similar problem may occur in their near future. Since they've already considered it in detail, they'll know better which choice to make.


Articles with Similar Helpful Content

Social Conscience: How to Use Moral Dilemmas Effectively with Kids


How Parents Build Character with Fun Moral Dilemmas




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Jean Tracy, MSS


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Open-Minded Kids – How Parents Promote Skilled Thinkers

Thinking Jeans Girl 900          
           How Sophie Became an Open-Minded Thinker

OPEN-MINDED KIDS ARE SKILLED THINKERS. They learn to see more than one side of issues, problems, and discussions. They think bigger than one-sided kids.

How Sophie Opened Her Mind

I spoke with a 4th grade girl, named Sophie, (Identity concealed) who told me how she changed her mind. Her teacher asked, “Should school be year-round?” Sophie said a loud, “No!”

But the teacher told the class to study both sides. Sophie did her research. This is what she found that could happen if school was year-round:

  1. The school day would be shorter.
  2. There would be more but shorter vacations.
  3. There would be fun after-school programs.
  4. Daycare wouldn’t cost parents so much because of the after-school programs. The 3-month summer vacation would be eliminated so no need for daycare then either.
  5. Teachers wouldn’t need to waste time reviewing what the children forgot due to the summer vacations.

Sophie opened her mind to these new ideas. She decided “Yes,” school should be year-round.

Sophie had an open-minded teacher who asked open-minded questions. She taught kids to see issues from both sides. Each child was free to come up with their own conclusions.

The Difference between Open Minds and Closed Minds

Spoiled Michael
Close-Minded Thinkers Won't Listen to New Ideas


Open-minded children don’t try to win arguments. They avoid stubbornly sticking to their own viewpoint. They are willing to change their opinions with new information.

Closed-minded kids won’t listen to others’ ideas. They believe they already know what’s best.

How Parents Raise Kids with Open-Minded Discussions


Family Discussion SMALL
Sample Question: Should  Parents Make Kids Try
New Foods?


Be the parent who uses discussions to open your kids’ minds. Discuss topics that interest them. Get them to consider both the side they favor and the one they disagree with. When they have enough information, ask them what they favor  now and why. If you do, they'll become BIGGER thinkers.

For more parenting strategies and stories to raise your children's consciousness, read full article at: 

 9 Ways Parents Raise Open-Minded Kids


Talk Mom and Son 900
Be Sure to Praise Your Open-Minded Child


Popular Posts with Similar Topics:

Parenting: 2 Strategies for Raising Kids with Optimistic Characters

Parenting: Turning Fearful Kids into Confident Children


Thank you so much.

With warm wishes, 

Jean Tracy, MSS


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