According to Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., in her book The Language of Emotional Intelligence; traumatic experiences in childhood can have a severe and long-lasting effect. Children who have been traumatized see the world as a frightening and dangerous place. When childhood trauma is not resolved, this fundamental sense of fear and helplessness carries over into adulthood, setting the stage for further trauma.

Childhood trauma results from anything that disrupts a child’s sense of safety and security, including:

It is important, then, to realize how important it is to create a safe home for your child.  A father recently confided, to a group I was in attendance with, that he yelled at his kids to the point of them being afraid of him.  He hadn't even realized the trauma he was causing until taking in the words of Darrel Clark from the Lutheren Redeemer Fatherhood program about how to communicate to your children.  He now has made the environment of his home a much safer place and has seen his children begin to open up to him in a whole new way.

As a parent please consider the list above and determine if there is anything on it affecting your child and you if can have a voice in changing  - if so change it for your child's sake.