Once you've gotten over your initial anger, you'll be better able to determine a punishment that fits the crime and administer it in a calm, respectful way. If you've overheard kids on the playground or at the mall, you know that cruel words and foul language are some of the most frequent ways children show disrespect to others. By using kind, respectful words yourself, you can model respectful behavior. A parent's words are vital to a child's development. Positive words nourish and sustain their growth.
Negative remarks wound and destroy.
I know you have the ability to do these problems, let's see if we can figure out what went wrong. When my children were young, I often had to stop in the middle of a lecture to pray silently, asking God to keep my lips from speaking hurtful words. Stopping momentarily for prayer can make the difference between building our kids up or tearing them down with our words. It also sets a terrific example. As a young parent, I often had my mind on other things when my children talked to me.