7 Ways to know if you’re a mean mommy.

1. Your voice is louder than the TV, on a regular basis.
2. More often than not, your face is as red as a stick of dynamite and you explode like one too.
3. You and the dog both bark at the kids when they annoy you.
4. You might be mistaken as the Drill Sergeant of a Children’s Army when out in public with your kids.
5. You know the exact number of whacks, on the hind-end, it takes to get your child to listen and you use this method often.
6. You’ve seen the movie Mommy Dearest and thought you’d like for your kids to refer to you with that endearing term.
7. You think Yelling is an invigorating and necessary form of expression.

If you can relate to one or more of the above statements then this means that, at times, you have been a mean mommy. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you’re always a mean mommy or that you’re a bad mommy, just that you’ve lost your cool a time or two. You’re human and kids learn early how to push all the right buttons to raise their parent’s blood pressure.

There are simple techniques that can help you chill out and stay calm when your child isn’t. Keep the following 5 positive discipline steps in mind the next time your child starts to act like a little monster.

5 Ways to Become a Nice Mommy

1. Take a deep breath and count to 10 before dealing with your child’s negative behavior.
2. Remove yourself from the room if your child is really out-of-hand. You don’t need to be a part of his bad mood. When he’s calmed down, ask him how he thinks he could have handled the situation better.
3. Ask your child why he is misbehaving and listen without judgment. Discuss other options he could have taken to resolve the issue.
4. Lead your child to his room and tell him that when he’s ready to discuss the situation calmly he can come out and talk with you.
5. Tell your child what you want him to do, rather than what you don’t want him to do. Instead of…"Don’t hit the dog!" Say…"Please pet the dog gently, like this."

Remember that parenting should be fun and positive discipline can help your family stay calm and enjoy quality time together.