I hate yelling at my kids. But like many moms who philosophically disagree with yelling, I still find myself doing it more than I’d like.  Why? What’s the secret to getting their attention without raising my voice? Have I conditioned them not to respond unless I yell? Is a normal toned request the white noise of their lives? Is it normal to yell when you leave the house with simple instructions to follow through on one or two simple things and you return without those things being done? How, then do I make my point? It seems ridiculous to punish someone for not putting the milk back in the fridge, so I raise my voice instead. As if that’s punishment enough and going to drive home the point. And guess what? Next time, they probably will still forget to put the milk in the fridge, even if I asked.  And the only thing I accomplished is breaking my own desire for calm parenting. I’m all for suggestions. Got any?