Most everyone should understand the fact that when we remain positive others around us remain in the same mindset. Welcome parenthood, where the attempt to remain cool, calm and collected is tested at every corner! Even the most fabulous of parents have moments when they are just about to lose it. Have no fear, we can help you survive and learn how to stay calm when you’re losing it. Read on for some tips on how to stay calm when your children are literally driving you insane.
Positive Parenting – Stay Calm
- Stop, Drop and Roll – remember the old school fire drills as a kid? You were always taught to stop, drop and roll in case of a fire. Use this method but replace roll with breath! In the moment immediately stop, drop everything and breathe. This will allow your mind to come to a calm place.
- Do a Calming Activity – this activity will be different for every parent, maybe a warm cup of tea helps to soothe your senses. Whatever it is that you can do right now to calm down, do it! Practice walking away and doing a calming activity so you can head back to parenthood without losing it.
- Don’t View your Child as The Enemy – most of us will see our child as the enemy in this moment, someone out to make our life miserable. Moments before you totally lose it, you will sense this train of thought coming on. Release it. Your child is not your enemy, they are growing and it’s up to you to guide them properly. Losing it won’t teach them anything useful.
- Accept Emotions – you can’t help how you feel amidst the chaos, if you feel as if you are going to lose it then embrace that feeling but quickly move towards a solution. Your child will also be experience some emotions, learn to accept how they feel while still working to fix the situation that has you so upset in a positive way.
- Address Problem When Calm – losing your mind won’t allow you to be productive in trying to calm the chaos. Who can think straight when their mind is completely overwhelmed?! Learn to practice the techniques listed above and then come back to the issue at hand when your mind is in a calm peaceful state.
Once you have corrected the chaos and things are at a calm place, don’t give yourself much parent grief about losing it. We are all imperfect human beings who make our own mistakes, the positive thing is that our children are quick to forgive our brief moments of insanity.