When this happens, she rolls her eyes and tells me to calm down, which only gets me even more mad! It seems that, like a car, when I rev or hoot in anger, she literally tunes out and doesn't hear me at all.
So I've been trying to react in a more neutral state, still expressing my disapproval and firmly disciplining her, but in a more loving tone, without turning into the Hulk. And I have to share, it is proving much more effective.
When she says or does something that pushes my buttons, I now choose to put on my inner hazards to caution myself to react in a neutral tone, instead of accelerating in anger and hooting my mouth off with punishments, that in most cases are neither effective nor practical.
Responding in a calm, neutral manner, allows me to tap into God's wisdom to enforce a discipline that will bring about a changed and improved behaviour, instead of just a rebellious, hardened heart.
