I did a great big motherhood no-no... I shouted at my husband, in-front of my child. And the other day, I yelled at my child for spilling his drink. Bad mama, bad example.

See, children see things concretely. When they see an adult doing something, they think it's permissible for them to do the same thing. Hence, shouting and hitting (among other things) should be avoided if children are part of your audience.

What can we do? How can I stop yelling at my toddler?

The book Discipline without Shouting or Spanking offers practical, nonviolent options for correcting the most common behavior problems of preschoolers.

How do they do it elsewhere? How are kids being disciplined in other cultures? Here's a great overview from Babyzone.

Seeing my own child's reaction is lesson enough. I do hope that I wouldn't forget it the next time my feathers are ruffled.