3 Ways To Protect Your Kids When You’re Fighting With Your Spouse

In every marriage, there’s going to be at least a small amount of arguing, bickering, and even fighting at times. Two people living together just can’t be expected to always get along. However, once you bring children into the mix, it’s important that you be very careful about how you fight with your spouse and what you allow your children to see. While kids are very intuitive when it comes to the emotions of their parents, letting your children see too far into any troubles in your marriage could be harmful to them, both now and down the line of their lives. So to help ensure that you’re able to maintain a happy family, here are three ways to protect your kids when you and your spouse are fighting.

Recognize When You’re Getting Angry

Although it’s easy to let your emotions get the best of you when having a row with your spouse, it’s important that you’re able to be in tune enough with yourself to recognize when you’re getting angry and then stop those feelings in the presence of your children. According to Parent.com, signs that your anger or emotions are getting the best of you include hearing your own voice rise, getting physically heated, feeling your mind only focus on the mistakes of your spouse, becoming shaky and more. Once you recognize these things, stop speaking with your spouse and resume your conversation when your children are no longer in the room with you.

Make Use Of A Babysitter

In your relationship, there are likely a few topics that are bound to get you and your spouse on opposite sides of the issue. So when you know a hard conversation is going to have to take place, do what you can to ensure that your children won’t be around when you start speaking about it. According to Dr. Marilyn Wedge, a contributor to Psychology Today, this would be a great time to have a trusted family, friend, or babysitter watch your children while you and your spouse go to dinner or visit a marriage counselor to speak about these issues.

Understand Just What You’re Teaching Your Children

For some, the only thing that will cause them to change their ways and discontinue arguing with their spouse is front of their children is knowing exactly what this behavior is teaching their kids. According to Carey Oppenheim, a contributor to The Telegraph, kids learn how to manage conflict in their own lives by seeing how their parents handle conflict in the home. So to help your children have a better chance at a more successful future, think about what you say and how you say it when speaking harshly with your spouse in front of your children.

If you and your spouse need some help keeping your kids out of your arguments at home, consider using the tips mentioned above to show you how you can do just that.