What a beautiful thing life is, am I right? Granted some days are better than others. On those tough days it is always important to remember that those are only small moments in this vast thing we call life. Some days it is harder to be the best versions of ourselves. This month we are going to talk about the importance of refraining from arguing with your spouse in front of your children.
Studies show that arguing in front of your children can negatively affect them from as young as 6 months old. Children are much more aware of their surroundings than we tend to believe. Other studies have also shown that children with conflict filled homes process emotions differently. They have trouble making friends. The conclusion is that what happens in the home bleeds over in ways that we cannot see.
There are physical responses as well. Failure to Thrive (FTT) in infants is commonly known to be caused by a poor living environment. Failure to Thrive is an infants inability to absorb the proper caloric intake to maintain survival.
Ways to Remedy Conflict in Front of Your Youth
Walk away. When you and your spouse feel a fight is brewing, walk away. Some people use a safe word of sorts where you speak a word and that lets both of you know it’s time to take a break. You can always regroup and discuss the issue at a later time. It is important to remember to deal with the issues at hand. Do not sweep them under the rug. You must resolve your issues together in a healthy manner!
This Month’s Action Step:
The next time you feel a fight is about to occur in front of your youth, walk away. Take a few minutes to yourself. Then regroup in a closed room away from your kids. Discussing things in a loving manner is hard. It can be done! One trick to use to help remind yourselves that you do love the other person is to hold hands. I’m serious! When you regroup to discuss your issue, take their hand and just hold it while you both take turns explaining how you feel. It sounds crazy but it definitely will change your approach to the other person!
