Parenting: 10 ways to keep your cool

Parenting: 10 ways to keep your cool…

We thought we knew frustration but frustration before becoming a parent is nothing compared to the frustration felt when your toddler repeatedly throws meals on the ground and finds the whole thing hilarious. Or when your baby decides to scream the house down simply because his blankey fell to the floor #firstworldbabyproblems.

All we can do as parents is learn to cope and try not to let your blood get to boiling point!

1) First things first, take a long hard deep breath before you make any sudden movements, this may decrease the risk of an irrational reaction.

2) Remember, they are only little people and don’t intentionally want to drive you mad to the point of feeling completely insane. Who hasn’t calmly walked to the bathroom, locked the door and screamed to the top of your lungs.

3) Let off some steam with your partner or friends because trust us, anyone with kids will know exactly how you feel.

4) Choose your battles wisely – let the small things slide. Your child may want to dress like a super hero everyday or look like he’s rolled around in muck five minutes after you’ve dressed him but is that really the worst thing in the world? Don’t sweat the small stuff.

5) When it comes to discipline make sure you have the final say in other words make your point and don’t engage any further. This can lead to all sorts, screaming matches, temper tantrums to an all-out parent/child meltdown.

6) Have some fun with your child. After a parent/child meltdown this may not be your number one priority but what it does do is defuse the situation. A happier and more relaxed environment will also make it easier to discuss whatever the problem was.

7) If your kids are doing something repeatedly, try get to the root of the problem and find out why they are behaving that way. This will help you to better understand why it’s happening and come up with a master plan to nip it in the bud.

8) Allow yourself to let go of the reigns from time to time and say ‘feck it.’ Whatever is on your long list of mammy-to-dos can wait. What’s important is taking some me time and gathering your sanity together.

9) Take up offers of help. This doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you have good people around you who want to be there for you and your family. Whether it is an hour away from the kids or an offer to cook dinner, suck it up and make the most of the break.

10) Finally, and probably the most important of them all, remember to laugh. Laughing is the best form of therapy, lots and lots of laughing is good for the soul.

Read more: Toddler tantrums 
maternity & infant

Originally posted 2015-01-05 15:50:34.