If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;
calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
Ecclesiastes 10:4 (NIV)
I am the youngest of four siblings. It is said, primarily by elder siblings, that the younger children always have it easier than their older brother and sisters. I do agree that parents tend to chill out as they get older. I don’t know whether this is because they have more parenting experience or because they are simply worn out. Perhaps a little of both. In that leg of my journey, I found that my path was sometimes made easier by observing and learning from the mistakes of my brothers and sister.
When I was young I watched the arguments between my parents and my siblings. Like all families, we had our fair share of them. My observation led me to perceive and understand that there was a consistent pattern in the way arguments escalated between my parents and my siblings:
- Child asks for something they want.
- Parent says, “no.”
- Indignant, child rolls eyes and asks for reason.
- Defensive, parent plays the authoritarian trump card. “Because, I said so.”
- Child plays victim card, makes snide remark (under his breath, but still meant to be audibly heard) about never getting his way.
- Parent takes offense, reacts, and angrily calls child out for his attitude.
- Child raises his voice and accuses parent of injustice, recounting a string of similar cases.
- Parent raises voice, recounts their own rap sheet of the child’s offenses, and threatens further punishment if child doesn’t back down.
- Child screams and accuses parent of running a concentration camp for children.
- Parent screams back what an ungrateful child they have and grounds him for life.
- Doors slam.
Having observed this pattern on a number of occasions, I quickly learned that:
- Arguing never changed my parents initial decision, it only entrenched it.
- Arguing almost always ended with the child in worse trouble and more punishment.
- Arguing led to parental defensiveness and mistrust.
So, I stopped arguing:
- Child asks for something they want.
- Parent says, “No.” Instinctively sets defense shields to maximum.
- Child calmly says, “Okay.” He returns to his room (face it, either way it’s where you always end up).
- Parent scratches head and wonders what just happened.
To be honest, I wasn’t always happy about my parents decisions. My pragmatism didn’t lessen my adolescent anger. I threw some private tantrums back in my room that I refused to let my parents see. It just seemed to me that all the escalation and arguing was a waste of time and energy, and the ultimate outcome threatened to be worse than just sucking up the disappointment at not getting what I wanted. The result? I think my parents were ultimately easier going and more trusting with me because I was an easier going kid.
Looking back, I believe that learning this lesson proved valuable throughout my life journey. Directing my emotional energies where they can truly make a difference and wisely choosing my emotional battles has served me well. As Solomon alluded in today’s chapter, refusing to react to another person’s emotional outburst and remaining calm usually halts any further escalation. Choosing not to add fuel to the emotional fire, the other person’s rage will usually smolder rather quickly.
