- Play – Remember what it was like when you were a child? You were always trying to get a sibling, parent, or the housekeeper to play with you. As a mom, it may seem like a petty thing with all of the other errands and tasks on your To-Do List. IT IS NOT! Taking a 30-minute break to engage in play with your child, or children is important to them and crucial to how stressed out you may be later that day. By playing with your child (Legos, cars, house, coloring) you are conveying the message that they are important and they will feel less needy, and less naggy throughout the rest of the day.
2. Clarify Your Position – When your children are bickering, try not to take sides. Allow your children to resolve their issues with one another. This position will allow for you to feel more at ease and focus on the other tasks at hand. If you’d like to participate with an objective voice, do so carefully. No matter the age, let them try to work through their argument, struggle, or disagreement. This is a great opportunity for them to learn how to resolve conflict. The point to intervene is when they get physical, which I am sure you know!
3. Try to take breaks – MOMMIES ARE NOT MACHINES! The same way that there is a lunch break at work, there should be a break at home. Whether a babysitter, or your mother, or mother-in-law comes by to see the kids, run out and grab a coffee, manicure, or do some therapeutic task. This may vary for different people. Taking a break, helps a parent rejuvenate and relax so that they can get back to being that well rested, supportive, happy, BALANCED parent.
4. Take a deep breath, and let it go – Have you ever noticed that sometimes a particular experience will leave you very hurt but another person may simply shrug and show little reaction. Most often than not, we need to learn as parents to be more easy going. Your kids are always watching you, recording you, and learning from your actions and reactions towards others. Try not to take things personally. Especially, when it comes to petty comments from your spouse, mother, mother-in-law, or friends. Sometimes, we need to take a deep breath and just let the comment roll off our backs. By being more easygoing, you allow your mind and body to relax and experience less stress at home.
5. Thrive for Imperfection – Imperfect is another way of saying natural. We are all very self-critical of ourselves. No one is a perfect parent or wife. SUPER-WOMAN is not realistic. When you train your mind to think that it’s okay “that my house is messy, it’s okay if I don’t have dinner ready, it’s okay if my kids are all crying and knocking things over at a friend’s house” you will train your mind to feel at ease and less stressed. Allow for your standard of ok to be good enough and you will reap the benefits of a more happy home.
Peaceful Thoughts 