“We are a family of awesomeness.
We are a family of awesomeness.
We are a family of awesomeness.”
My mind repeats this silly phrase over and over as I unclench my teeth and breathe. It’s just another school morning and I am doing my best to keep the children moving forward without stressing us all out. I am working hard to keep my cool and radiate calm. Some mornings are easier than others, but as this week has been jam packed with extra stuff and stress and over-tiredness (work stress, school stuff, after school stuff, etc etc etc) I have certainly had my work cut out for me when it comes to keeping the waters calm. I know it’s worth the effort as I know that the more I hustle and bustle, the more my volume rises and my tone becomes gruff, the quicker the stress rises for everyone, and it’s then that it all just starts to come apart! We end up with angry voices, hurtful words and sometimes even tears…and that’s just the mummy!
What do I find works to help us get through these periods of stress? Four simple things…
1. Have a mantra. It doesn’t really matter what yours is. Just keep it positive and use it to remind yourself that you can get through this.
2. Keep breathing. No need to say more!
3. Lower the bar on my expectations. If we head out the door to school with smiles on our faces but the breakfast dishes are still on the table, so be it. My children starting their day feeling positive and ready for anything is more important than the dishes or the laundry or the sweeping.
4. Celebrate success. If we have had a great morning, or even a good one, we celebrate it once we are in the car and on our way with ‘clicks’ for each family member, recognising something they did well.
What strategies do you use to help keep calm in the chaos?
Visit the previous Parent Smarter, Not Harder posts by clicking on an image below…
Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.
