The Ice Cubes
Is it better to get problems out into the open, or to try to stuff them away?
Program: Real FamilyLife (90 seconds)
Resources mentioned in program are no longer available from FamilyLife.
Dennis Rainey: Is it better to get problems out into the open, or to try to stuff them away?
Guest: Bob Lepine: We're listening to some sisters remember the way conflict was handled in their home.
Sister 1: In our family, you just kind of forgot about it.[ Read Full Transcript ]
Sister 2: You just kind of swept it under the rug.
Sister 1: Yeah, you just started being nice again.
Dennis Rainey: When your child gets angry, he can express it appropriately and deal with the situation. Or he can try to ignore his emotions and act like there's no problem. I use an ice cube to illustrate the importance of handling anger appropriately.
If you set an ice cube out on the kitchen counter, it won't last for long. In the same way, if you get issues and emotions out into the open, they can dissolve and evaporate.
If you leave an ice cube locked away in the freezer, it will remain solid. That's like our emotions. If we never express how we truly feel, we will become hard and cold, filled with pent up anger.
One final thought. What kind of emotional environment are you creating in your home? Why don't you teach your children to express their emotions honestly without hurting people in the process.
I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real FamilyLife.
Date: 2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM
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