How to Love Your Kids When They’re Driving You Crazy

Happy Valentines Day! I hope those of you with children had a kid free night one day this weekend.

At times, our house is a little too chaotic.  Daphne is 2 and reminds us daily of her need to be in control. Melody is 4 and likes to remind Daphne that she is the boss.  I love my kids, but at times they drive me crazy! Does anyone else feel this way? What can you do when you need a break? Here are a few tips:

1. Go outside. I know you want a nap. Desperately. You wish they would be quiet and slow down long enough for you to just get 30 minutes in. The last thing you feel like doing is going outside. Did you know that a little Vitamin D aids with battling depression? Getting some fresh air and sunlight can lighten your mood. It will help you forget about all the laundry that you have piled up. Not only that, if you wear the kids out enough, they may nap when they come back inside.

 

2. Hire a babysitter. You may not live around family, or feel like you use family too much. Ask your friends and coworkers for recommendations for a babysitter. Then go watch that movie you’ve been dying to see. Get dressed up and go to a fancy restaurant. Hire a babysitter so you can recharge!

3. Have a mental health day. This may require #2. If your spouse is off one day, put them in charge and you take a mental health day! Go to the spa, spend the day in Barnes & Nobles reading, do something to de-stress.

4. Break out the art supplies. I know you are thinking that making a bigger mess will add to your stress. I haven’t met a kid yet that didn’t slow down long enough to paint, draw or color. Crayola has mess free art supplies with their color wonder line of markers. If you are worried about a mess, use a Dollar Store plastic tablecloth to cover the surface the kids are working on.Use washable art supplies in case the coloring gets out of hand. Trust me, I know.

5 . Schedule a play date. When your kids are driving you crazy, it helps to be around a friend who’s kids are also driving them crazy. It reminds you that what your kids are doing is normal, and you aren’t going through this alone

6. Invite a friend over. Real friends don’t judge you or your house. They just step over the princesses,trucks and crayons and sit on the couch with you and your kid. A little laughter and friendship helps you relax and not think about how much your kids are driving you crazy.

7. And last but not least, walk away. As long as your children aren’t in immediate danger, sometimes walking away is the best response. For the first six weeks of Daphne’s life, she cried for several hours a night every night. It pained me to see her cry in pain, but other than gripe water, nothing seemed to help. I knew it wasn’t her fault, but lack of sleep and endless crying works on your nerves and emotions. Sometimes I had to pass her to my husband or lay her down. Sometimes to cry, and other times to get my mind together before I tried rocking her again. Today, Melody asked for yogurt with granola. A few minutes later, she said she didn’t want it and cried when we told her she had to eat it. She started coughing until she made herself throw up. As she was crying, I had to just walk away. It was more productive than yelling and telling her she had to eat it. If I haven’t learned anything about motherhood, I’ve learned that it’s okay to not have all the answers. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and it’s okay to ask for help.

What do you do when your kids are driving you crazy? I’d love to hear all about it! Comment below. Are you subscribed to the blog yet? Click the follow button on the right side of the screen.