Raising kids is probably one of the toughest challenges you’ll face- after all, handling a tantrum-throwing toddler after a long day at work can really get on your nerves and make you lose your cool. If you find yourself secretly wanting a proper civilized conversation with your kid, and wanting to be more in control of yourself and be that chilled out parent, here’s some help your way.
Keep reading to discover how you can do just that – no matter what.
Pause
One of the best ways to find your cool when you’re struggling to control a kid who’s having a full-blown meltdown in public or just seems to go out of the way to make things tough for you is this- just pause. Don’t react. Just take a slow, deep breath and observe. Doing this can calm your brain down instantly and you’ll be able to respond, instead of just reacting. When you pause, you’re much more in the present, and you’ll be able to keep yourself centred and more in control of your emotions.
Ditch the Perfect
This one’s the golden rule of parenting- never ever compare yourself to other parents, or overburden yourself with the idea of being the perfect parent. Frankly, there’s no such thing. Humans are flawed, and just like with other aspects of our life, we are bound to make mistakes with parenting too. Don’t try too hard and overexert yourself being everything to everyone. Just make sure you’re there for your kids when they need you, and that you’re taking care of yourself too while you’re at it. Not only will this make you feel less stressed out as a parent, but it’ll also make you much less likely to lose your mind when things aren’t going right.
Adapt
Your kid is growing fast, and there are several changes going on within him- both physically and mentally, and naturally, the only way to keep up with that is to adapt and learn. You may have set a few rules for yourself mentally when it comes to parenting and raising your kid, and while that’s great, remember- change is the only constant. When things don’t seem to work for you anymore, maybe consider doing things differently. The more easily you take difficult scenarios and the more open you are to changing how you deal with them, the easier it will be for you to keep your cool.
Own It
Losing your temper (and your mind) isn’t anything new – literally all parents have faced it once in a while, and if you’re guilty of that, don’t worry- it’s okay. Own it. Admit that you lashed out. Apologize. Identify what made you calm down. This will help you put the situation behind you instead of constantly obsessing over it. Plus, it allows you to understand that you may make mistakes, but you can also get over them and understand your trigger points better, enabling you to look for alternate ways to handle the situation the next time it happens.
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