Everyone has buttons.

Everyone has buttons. 🔴

Are you aware of yours?
Do you know what pushes those triggers or buttons?
Are you aware of your reaction when those buttons are pushed?

Ninja 2 swatted ninja 3 with a table tennis bat while squabbling.
I saw what happened, and totally flew off the handle, banning him from gaming devices for 2 weeks. 😡

I had over-reacted, damnit!
That’s not good parenting at all!
I took a very upset Ninja 2 aside and apologised for how I reacted.
The punishment still stood because of what he did, but how I reacted was over the top.

When I am on my shifts at #Samaritans, I do get triggered – especially when it’s about domestic abuse.

However, it’s something I am aware of, and I am able to keep calm in order to support the caller.

A lot may be going on inside me, but I don’t let that out, and the caller is never aware of the internal screaming going on in my head.

“Get in the car and drive away. Now!”
“He has been doing it for the last 5 years, and his “Sorry’s” do not mean anything. You need to leave!”
“How is this good for your kids? To see her doing this to you? How is this affecting your children?!”

Past experience in an abusive relationship has made me hyper sensitive and with the current high profile case between the married celebrities that is swamping our media – it’s become even more so.

It was a sobering moment for me.

What I need to truly understand is that – being aware of my trigger buttons and not reacting – this isn’t something I should only reserve for my callers.

My family and those around me deserves that consideration too.
I need to also be aware of these triggers and how they affect me in my personal life.

Sigh. No one told me that Parenting is actually a life long learning process. 🙄

If only there was a Trailhead module for this. 😬

What’s your trigger and do you manage it well?

#OnThePeiroll
#ParentingIsHard