If mom life has you feeling a little stressed and overwhelmed try these ten tips from our Newsymom team.
1.) Wake Up BEFORE Your Kids: Sure, sleeping in sounds magical but it’s all smoke and mirrors! Let’s be real! That extra 15 minutes will go by faster than you realize your eyes are closed and before you know it the circus will be in town. Consider pulling yourself out of bed, grab a cup of coffee (you’ll actually get to enjoy hot), and just sit in a comfy chair all alone…
2.) UNPLUG: We preach it to our children and we are sticklers about obeying the acceptable amount of screen time…but are we practicing our own lectures? When we remove ourselves from the constant electronic glow we allow our brains to light up with organic creativity and peace.
3.) Set Small Goals: A ‘to do’ list that includes a weeks-worth of chores and dinner plans is simply unrealistic and a petri dish for stress. Breathe and remember to include things in your list you’ll actually be able to cross off: 1 load of laundry, feed the children…shower. 👍
4.) Go with the Flow: Even the most thought-out plans with highly calculated best outcomes are fair game in parenthood. Odds are your children could care less if the outfit they’re wearing matches, or if their pigtails are uneven. If you make it to nap time a little late it’s okay!
5.) Laugh: When your child sneezes and baby boogers go everywhere, when your little tries to make breakfast and spills milk all over or when you have a mini banshee bolting naked around the house juking you at bath time. Laugh…after all it is the best medicine!
6.) Take a Break: In most states, by law employees are entitled to a break or two during the workday. And we all know there is no job harder than that of a mother. So put it all down and walk away. The best part is…you’re also the boss so they’ll be no reprimand if you’re a few minutes late clocking back in!
7.) Be in the Now: Dirty dishes, dirty laundry, groceries, bills, work…none of that ever goes away. You can count on it forever. However; the tiny hands, tiny feet, and tiny voices won’t be. Time will scoop up your Little’s and before you know it they’ll be tossed into big grown-up bodies with lives of their own. Don’t let it go by without truly cherishing every second.
8.) Take a Bath: Obviously we hope you’re doing this regularly, but in this case we don’t mean to scrub the baby puke out of your hair or your toddler’s art from your arm. And DON’T shave your legs! Leave all that for another time. Turn on some calming music, light a candle, turn off the lights and soak! Breathe and just be…
9.) Nap: Yes…seriously. And don’t say ‘there’s too much you could be doing.’ That’s always the case. If you think hard enough about anything you’re doing when you’re doing it there’s something else you could be doing. Still with us? Point is…the old adage to ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’ can carry on into the toddler years and even the teen years! Put everything aside and soak up a solid half hour of shut-eye if you can!
10.) Do Your Best: No one’s best is perfection and no one’s best comes without fault. Day in and day out if you do everything you can to raise happy, healthy, kind, little humans while not forgetting that you need to be sane to do so…then you’re doing fine!
