7 Steps for Parents to Survive a Difficult Day with a Challenging Child
What can you do to put a spring in your step when you are having a bad day? Do you sometimes just want to wallow a bit in the hard moments? After all, we all tend to say from time to time, “I deserve a little pity party once in a while, right?” Okay. Well, we can give you a few seconds to feel sorry for yourself — but then we suggest that you choose a different mindset, one that will serve you better in the long run. Wallowing just keeps us stuck. Here are seven things you can do to press on and move forward.
- Pray. There is a God who loves you all the time and cares so much about you in this moment. Rely on His strength. Remember also that He loves your child even more than you do.
- Breathe. That may sound trite but the fact of the matter is that when we are frustrated, overwhelmed, angry, anxious, or scared – we tend to hold our breath. So, be aware of that and take a minute to think about your breathing.
- Remember how precious your child is. When we were in the thick of raising our children when they were younger, often just stopping to think about how dear and beloved and valued they were put us in a better frame of mind.
- Plan a break and ways to take care of yourself. Here are some examples: Plan a tea party for one — even if that is just a cup of tea and a piece of chocolate whenever there is a breather. Plan some exercise/activity time. If you get refueled by meeting up with groups of people – find a way to make it happen.
- Talk with/text/private message a friend. Just letting someone else on the planet know that you are struggling diffuses the intensity.
- Release your frustrations through activity or writing. Get a sitter or hand the child off to the other parent, grandparent, or an older sibling and take a walk, a run, a dance break, or whatever works for you. Do you get relief by journaling? Keep a journal nearby so that you can jot things down whenever you get a breather.
- Look for something positive or funny or some kind of silver lining in the cloud of the situation. If you train yourself to look for it, you can usually find something positive or funny or some kind of blessing in the situation. The key is to choose to look for it.
Of course there are many other things that could be added to this list. Maybe you have some ideas that we can share with others. We invite you to email us at Champions4Parents@gmail.com. Perhaps your idea can greatly help another parent.
Tom and Julie Meekins
