I don’t know about you, but when my son starts throwing a tantrum, I know it won’t be long before a mommy meltdown. Being a parent is overwhelming, and doing it without someone there by your side, to share in your grief is just plain hard. There are times when I have just sat down on the floor and cried right along with him because I just didn’t know what else to do. Usually after we’ve both cried it out we can give each other a hug and move on with our day, but trust me, it can be exhausting. So next time you start feeling a mommy meltdown coming on, here are a few tips to steer things in the other direction.
Both of you need a time out. Put your child in a room with no distractions. More often than not, they’re just trying to get a rise out of you, remove yourself from the equation, and more than likely in a few minutes they’ll calm down. Give yourself a time out too. Simply sitting behind a door for a few minutes to collect your thoughts can help you regain control. Close your eyes and breathe! It’s going to be ok!
Scribble it out! Hand your child some crayons and let them draw out what they’re feeling. Even just a few angry scribbles can help them get out some of their frustration. Instead of scribbling you may want to write out what you’re feeling. Start a blog where you can write about your mommy struggles! We all have them, and other parent’s can give you the support and advice you need when things get to be more than you can handle.
Lighten the mood! Time to whip out the tickle monsters! It’s hard to stay angry when you’re being tickled and nothing is better than a child’s laughter. Laughing helps you too. We all know it reduces stress, and one study even showed that just thinking about laughing releases beta-endorphins into your blood stream. Pretty cool, huh?
With these tips, breakdowns can be a thing of the past! (Well almost, anyway!)