soft gentle words

i don't watch much tv, mainly because i don't have time and because there is not that much on that is worth watching but i love, love the duggar's!! and i love to let ella watch them--what great examples of well behaved children! i have watched many episodes but on one episode michelle said something keeps coming back over and over again in my head. the producers had asked her something in the interview segment about her tone of voice or if she ever yelled or something--because she never ever yells, she has a consistent pleasant voice. her response was that years ago when their children were young, she made a conscious choice to make sure she never raised her voice. raising your voice usually doesn't accomplish anything productive. i'm not really a yeller but that has stuck with me for months. i realized after watching that episode that i do sometimes talk louder and sometimes too firmly with ella and most importantly it almost never has to do with something she has done...it is almost always because i am upset, irritated or frustrated about something (sometimes even her (o;). i have realized over the last several months that speaking with a soft kind voice especially when disciplining that ella can listen and understand my words much better. and i think having girls makes that even moreso important; they (or at least mine) are so sensitive. i don't want to say anything harshly that would deter them from talking to me in the future about anything. i want to have a close relationship with both girls so that they feel like they can talk to me about anything at any age. i don't remember if michelle referred to a bible verse or not but i think of proverbs 15:1--"a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" so thank you michelle duggar for allowing God to speak through you...