A Family’s Need to HALT

Hi there! This is Ann. My kids were cranky the other day. So was I. We were tired. Maybe a little hungry, too. Two of them got into an argument over a book bag, and I ran out of patience trying to mediate. When I think back to our less-than-gracious interaction and analyze it, I find myself pondering an acronym that Andrea introduced at Embracing Him: HALT. She explains:

When I was in the last trimester of my pregnancy with Sweet Pea, I took a water aerobics class at the local YMCA. I was the only person under the age of 65 in the class, but I so enjoyed every meeting! While working out, these darling senior citizens would often strike up conversations with me, offer parenting advice, and share fond memories of raising their own children. One day while in the pool, a sweet 80 something year old woman in the class shared a great piece of parental wisdom. She introduced me to the acronym HALT and told me that if I wanted to avoid problems, I should never allow my little ones to become too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Woe to the mother and father who are caring for children who are too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired! The ire of these upset children and the furrowed brows of their parents can easily be spotted on playgrounds and in supermarkets, malls, and time out chairs all across the nation! Though JT and I have found that abiding by the HALT principle is an effective method of dealing with our children, did you know it’s also a great principle for adults to live by?

This principle is especially important for younger children, but even my older kids need those four basic needs met. If left unchecked or unaddressed, these conditions can escalate and become big problems in a child of any age. Or, as Andrea points out, in any adult, as well. I need to make sure my needs are met, too. Every parent does. But how? Read the entire post to find out what Andrea suggests. Recommended by Ann Kroeker. Artwork by Gail Nadeau. Used with permission.