"Hurting people hurt people," says John Maxwell, and it's true!

A father and son walking together in the woods came upon an animal that had been caught in a hunter's trap. The animal was in obvious distress. The son rushed forward to free the animal, but his father stopped him. "Son," he said, "Be careful. A hurt animal will bite those close around--even someone who is trying to help him."

What's true of animals is true of people. Hurting people hurt people. We've all seen parents under too much stress strike out at their children. An unknown author captured the frustration and the guilt of many parents when he or she wrote:

A weary mother returned from the store,
Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.
Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year-old son,
Anxious to relate what his younger …