Actually I am a really loud person and I do a lot of ineffectual yelling (most times). Though I do bluff them now and then. The kids really know when they are in the pooh, is when I don't say a word, and just stand and stare. They scatter to the farthest corners of the house until I have calmed down. If on those rare occassions when they don't settle, I turn games off, throw toys in the bin, and point to their rooms. They get the message.

Bugs and things: We love em. We just know which ones not to go near. It would be the same as any creepy crawlies that you have in the States.

Cheers Leisa

Nice advice everyone. When I went into yelling - especially with teenagers - I would storm off to my room (like them) and slam the door - bang. When I had calmed down I would go and knock on their door and APOLOGISE for getting on the 'control freak ride' and then we would talk TO each other. What bothered me and why. What their attitude and the doors it might open. Worked for me.

As to all the dangers being overdone on TV. Where do you live - I have already ahd three run ins with funnel web spiders. The last one was headingup the hallway to my son's room. Boy did I smash it into a pulp. The one that chased me - hubby smashed with a shovel. The brown snake in the laundry I had to deal with as hubby isn't into snakes. The red belly black that ate all my tadpoles and aby red capped finches (in the Tree above the pond) - it got outed!  The death adder that jumped out of the compost heap made us both jump but it left quickly. Red back spiders - clean up every 4 weeks on chirs, under sills etc.  And don't run away from a goanna they climb you like a tree - not fun. L&L Robyn

With my kids i yell their name and they stop and then i speak to them in a nice voice. i am still trying to decide weather smaking or time out/ taking away stuff works. 9/10 times i dont have to scream at my kids but sometimes you just have no other way i guess.

re the bugs, i think because we all know we have pretty much all of the top 10 most deadlyest bugs snakes and all that we know what we is ok and whats not. 99% of us use a bug spray about the house to stop the bugs and with the snakes and spider we know which to avoid. in the water we have "alocated" beaches that are monitored (if you choose to swim elsewhere that is your choice) and normally have life guards on them. all our hospitals have the anti venim on hand. there are some places that we all know just not to go (even though some still do) i personally love all the bugs and that.

hope that helps your son and you

One loud OI! to stop what they're doing and to get their attention....without words remove what ever they're fighting over and put it somewhere away and out of reach or the bin.....look eye to eye nose to nose and in a soft serial killer quiet voice explain that if their behaviour doesn't improve they will face punishment (OF WHAT EVER YOU DO..TIME OUT, RESTRICTED RIVELIDGES, A SMACK WHAT EVER IS YOUR THING).....THAT WORKED FOR ME AS A nANNY AND AN aUNT FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS...oops hit caplocks sorry

Sometimes it gets to the stage where Im so sick of yelling that I have to go to my room and lock myself away for 5 mins til either I or they calm down.

And as for all the creepy crawlies, us aussies just wrap our kids in cotton wool continually so that our kids dont get bitten

I must admit there are times when I need an alternative to yelling myself... These days instead of yelling I just say time out (he is two) and pop my son in the high chair. It is supposed to be one minute for every year, so Francis would be in the chair for two minutes... But I wait until he has stopped screaming.  That works. He usually stops when I pop him in there and I say "let me know when you are done!"  He realizes then that I mean business.. :)

As for the creepy crawlies.   Well as an Aussie kid we were told to watch where we walk.  And really we never worried about it.. You saw something that is dangerous and you don't touch it and walk away, or back in the old days you call for dad and out he runs with a shovel or a gun.  (these days you are not allowed to kill the snakes, so my dad relocates. :)

Where my parents live now is very famous for snakes and they never go a summer with out seeing a nest of them.  My parents rule is if they are having an event and lots of people are coming over they will relocate the snake if they know where it is.    If there is no such event they wait to see if the snake crosses their imaginary line around the property to the house. They keep the grass down so to see them...   But as long as they stay on the other side of the they are fine...  And if there is a visitor they just say "watch for snakes...

You have already some great advice I just wanted to comment on the dangerous creatures which you would be talking about the funnel web spider and the snakes. If anyone is bitten you must keep them calm put a pressure bandage over the bite and all the way up the limb then dial 000 or mobiles 112 for an ambulance.

For red back spider apply cold pack, elevate the limb bitten and seek medical attention. On saying this we don't come across them that often but check outdoor equipment and if in country make noise when walking in bush as snakes generally don't seek you.

Hi
How do American families raise their children with so many guns and gangland shootings in the shopping centres.  And all the drugs being sold in the open at school and the guns at school.
Don't every American family own 2 guns each
Bit like our "wild" animals
Half our backyard pets are more dangerous including the pet humans

We go to zoos and certain areas of Australia to see them
Our most dangerous animal roaming free is the cocharoach and the fly at our barbies...
Oh and the teenagers having parties

Oh and the mad parents on minti.  
Tv really has a lot to answer for doesn't it
I would be more frightened to be in America than Australia becuase of how it is portrayed here

Luv Deb

Hi Leanne! You've been given great advice here in regards to the yelling. As for the deadly animals & bugs, we see a few out here in the country, you do have to be carefull but it isn't as bad as the tv shows! We get the occasional poisonous spider which we have to dispose of (to put it nicely!), and in the spring and summer the snakes do come out. We have to watch carefully for the snakes around here, and never send the kids outside (little ones) by themselves. Our sons have a Jack Russell dog each that play with them outside & follow them everywhere - if there was a snake around we would soon hear about it as the dogs hate them & are very protective of the boys & us. If the dogs start barking we have to grab the kids - generally though it is just a lizard! lol! Luckily we haven't coe acroos a snake too close to our house yet, the closest one has been spotted was about 200 metres away & our friend got rid of it before it got any closer.

when i get to stage the stage that the kids push me to far and going to yell at them,I just straight up if they playing with something and take it off orif they just frighting bwtween themself i go to  there romm and take the games they like playing or the tv out of the room for to nights .This works for me .

As for thoses scary anamails here , you don't see them really  only a few spiders  and snakes you might see on  the  road , while your traveling on the highways .

Hi there,

I think when things get to the yelling stage its time for some serious action . . . . First go somewhere where you can calm down, even if it sitting on the toilet . . . Take a breath and relax a little . .  Once your calm its time to deal.

Settle on a punishment that is suitable depending of course on your childs age . . . personally for me I have found under 8's HATE time out chairs . . . . Between 8 and 13 hate being grounded and have things taken away from them and 13 and up can't stand no phone use . . . he he he . .

But really - you know your children and what punishment will work best . . . . Goodluck . .

As for all those scary animals I just "tell em BOO! . . . . ha ha ha  . . .Seriously the TV makes them sound worse than they really are . ..  The worst I've had to deal with is a large spider and I called on Hubby to remove it . .

Cheers Kellz

Walk away go outside for a minute or into another room that the child cant get in and count to 10 and calm down .

I wish you all the best with  it

emz

i think the only thing you could do in that situation is to calm down and go sit in another room, take the offending object away from them if (the kids are fighting over it), start a rewards chart, start taking things from them as punishment ???

 lol!!!
ummm, i think the tv is over-reacting over there hahaha!!
To see these animals, i go to the zoo, reptile parks, sanctuaries and aquariums...
i think the only deadly thing i have come across is a german shephard lol, i guess if i lived out in the bush, i might come across a few snakes, funnel web spiders and scorpions... but we dont have crocs and kangaroos jumping in our backyards like people think...
so all in all, raising our children here in oz is not much different to america :)
xx