Growing up there was a look my mom could give and no matter how rowdy we were we would stop dead in our tracks. When we got the look, my sister and I knew we had crossed an imaginary line - gone from irritating her to seriously making her mad. No matter the location or the situation, that look communcated millions of words in just moments - and when we got that look we knew our mom was serious.
Recently someone asked me what my mom "thing" was. Did I have a word or look that let my kids know I was serious and there was no more fooling around?
My response was, "I don't think I have one."
Over the next few days I observed my interactions with my children to identify my mom "thing".
I figured out my mom "thing" was stating, "I am done." When my children push my buttons and I need to retake control of the situation, I boldly state, "I am done." And when my oldest hears that statement, behaviors suddenly change and usually the situation improves.
So what's your mom or dad "thing"? What do you do to communicate to your chlidren that they have crossed a line with you?
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