The Parenting Lesson That Changed The Game For Me...

Do you ever have those days where it seems like there is too much going on, everything is going wrong and in-between it all, there's a child hanging from you saying, "mommy" four thousand times a second?

Yeah, me too.

On those days, I want nothing more than to run away to a secluded island and stick my head in the sand.



I found myself in those overwhelming moments thinking something must be so wrong with me that I can't keep it together. I was sure I was a horrible person for getting frustrated with my son's constant demands, or the constant demands of my household. I felt like I was a terrible ungrateful person when I would want nothing more than a day away from my life and family.

I know for myself, and other parents I have talked to, we can harbor so much guilt for not being "on" and happy all the time for our children. Yet, it's impossible. We'd never hold anyone to that level of super-human ability, so why do we hold ourselves to it?

Thanks to plenty of conversations with other parents and articles about how losing your shit is normal; I don't hold myself to super-human standards anymore. Bad days happen to the best of us. I am human. I can only handle so much. I can only do so much. I can only be so selfless and "ON" for so long before I need a moment.

Now, when I'm feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, or even just having a bad day,  I step back, recognize that I'm frazzled and honor that feeling for a few moments while taking a break to breathe.

That's right; I now embrace losing my shit. I've learned to recognize when I am about to hit my limit and walk away... without guilt.

It turns out, taking the time to lose my shit empowers me to be stronger. First, I stop to recognize that I am having a bad day, forgive myself for it, and then promise myself tomorrow will be better. When I take the guilt away from a very natural, human reaction to being overwhelmed, I feel better instantly.

If this is resonating with you, please know that you are not a horrible person or parent for having a bad day. It's completely normal. Take a moment to honor your feelings, and breathe. Tell yourself you are awesome, and doing the best you can, and that tomorrow will be better.


                                                         



April is an award-winning writer and blogger. Her work has been published in over ten countries and four languages. From books to newspapers, to print/online magazines and everything in between, you can find her work. For more on April, Visit AprilMcCormick.com