Being non-violent "doesn’t mean being passive" Newspapers are full of stories about parents who throttle their children, about adult children who mistreat elderly parents, about spouses abusing each other, both physically and emotionally. These are examples of anger gone awry. In close relationships it’s natural to experience angry feelings on occasion. This doesn’t justify abuse. Anger is often a bitter, divisive, difficult emotion for all concerned. Humor isn’t always appropriate, but sometimes it can help ease tensions. Don’t use humor to hurt someone or to avoid dealing with important issues. It’s better used, as "laughter is the shortest distance between two people A special word of caution for parents with young children: be sure when you tell them you’re angry that you make it clear that it is the child’s behaviour – not the child - that you dislike. A child may misunderstand parental anger and take it to mean he or she is a bad person.
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