What to do when your kids push your buttons

Every parent knows what it feels like to have their buttons pushed!!  It doesn’t matter how many articles you have read, how many parenting books you have gathered or talks you have heard.  In the moment if your child is behaving in a way that really winds you up, it is almost impossible to access any parenting skills or strategies.
What can parents do in the moment to respond in a calmer, more considered manner?

I was very fortunate a few years ago to have attended a 5 day course led by Bonnie Harris when she came to London. I highly recommend her book ‘What to do when your kids push your buttons’. In a nutshell, when a child behave sin a certain way, our expectations and assumptions drive our emotions which in turn influences our reaction. It’s all about going deep inside and reframing your assumptions and expectations so they are more realistic.

Admittedly this is much easier said than done but it makes a huge difference.