Im sipping my second cup of hot coffee reviewing the daily news, and reading my favorite blogs while the kids watch a movie.
I appreciate these rare moments of peace and quiet (and hot coffee). They feel so few and far between lately. My kids fight. Like wrestle on the ground fight. Never agree on who gets to play with what, and always wanting what the other has. Its exhausting. But its even more exhausting when you have to deal with it all alone.
Clocked in some OT last evening and Im going to pay for it over the weekend. It felt like a good idea last night. But, Blake works the next 4 nights consecutively so Im “single momming it”. I honestly dont know how single parents do it. Its frigging exhausting.
My patience is alot like this photo. Slowly wilting away. Each petal falling is a layer of patience. Thinning.
But with 4 more days of “single momming it” it is my job as a mom to come up with a plan. Its not the kids fault.
Some tips to make it through with your “petals” intact.
* Engage the kids. Whether its tidying up, playtime or meal time.
* Give them ideas to avoid boredom. When theyre bored they fight.
* Picture stories are great. Its a tool I use sometimes so the kids know what is coming up. It avoids melt downs and confusion. Manages their expectations.
It doesnt have to be fancy. Here you can see 1) watching a christmas movie 2) next we are eating lunch 3) taking Avry to swim 4) mom is tidying up 5)Going to the parade.
* Stick to the routine. We take baths at night and bedtime is at 8pm. Not following the routine can cause chaos to ensue. When Blakes working i try to stick to the routines.
* When you feel yourself getting frustrated and are about to loose a petal- 5-4-3-2-1. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth five times thinking about something you can see, hear, smell, feel etc. It will calm you down and your reaction will be more gentle. When your other half isnt there to tap in and deal with the chaos you need every tool you can find to cope.
I am not perfect. I will lose my patience at times over the next few days. I might yell. But I will try to use these strategies to help.
What strategies do you have in your tool box to deal with parenthood? How to you keep your petals intact?
Peace and love
Holly
Holly's Hustle 