When my children think I'm threatening their autonomy, they get angry. They run out of the room or shout about the unfairness of my instructions. They aren't capable of listening to me or understanding my reasoning. They're closed off and often remain so until after their anger dies down or the impending consequences compels them to obey in deed, if not in spirit. I think the reason they can't listen or understand me when they get angry is because they go into survival mode, self-preservation mode, or as I'd like to call it, brain block. They are unable to accept any new information because they are too busy protecting themselves from a perceived threat to their happiness, i.e. my command for them to stop playing and pick up their socks. It is the same with me. When I share my ideas with someone, and they cross-examine me, I feel my mind growing blurry, preventing me from speaking or thinking straight. I feel afraid that the cross-examiner will misunderstand me