Just like there are different parenting styles, there are different speaking styles. Parents who are always yelling at their kids, parents that barely make a squeak, and parents who get the point across without raising their voice.

Yelling accomplishes nothing but discord. Kids don’t care to be yelled at all the time and will start resorting to disruptive behaviors. At the very least, a child will yell back, act up, or simply tune out the parent. It does nothing for the child’s need to relate to their parent. Constant negativity in the form of shouting or put downs tend to shape a child into either a withdrawn personality or one that’s always getting into trouble.

Passivity from the parents creates spoiled brats. These types of parents rarely raise their voice, make weak protests, rarely come out and say no, and wind up with kids that no one wants to be around. The children wind up with no sense of boundaries or social graces. Sometimes the parents will snap and say something sharp, but the groundwork has been laid and the child will most likely pay little heed to the command.

A firm and consistent parent shapes a child into a responsible personality. Children have a strong sense of fairness and look to the adult to provide that. So when a directive is given by a parent and the child doesn’t feel that they should do it, they may ask why. Patience on the parent’s part is key here. Sometimes a “because I said so” suffices, sometimes it may take a little explanation as to why something is necessary. For instance, a child may not understand why they have to cooperate with someone they don’t get along with. Taking the time to explain that we all have to do things we don’t like in life starts the child on to further comprehension and cooperation.