Being a mom is amazing, but it’s incredibly hard at times too. Unfortunately, stress can be a part of the package. The dog has an accident while you’re on the phone, your toddler walks over to investigate, you have another little one who has spotted a spider in the bathroom, and you have an hour and a half to get everything ready for the bake sale. It happens. All moms have been there. Find out how to remain cool, even when temperatures rise.
Since I was 17 I was a full time Nanny. I lived with various business parents who, sadly, were so focused on chasing money that they had no time to raise their children. That’s right, they had enough money to pay a full time live-in nanny and still wanted more. I do not begrudge them this. Being overly maternal, even from a young age, I landed my dream job. I played mother to children and got paid for it. This went on for a few different families before I met my husband, 14 years later. I now play mother to my own children and am
looking forward to providing guidance across their whole lives, not just the early years with Parent.Guide. The pay is less and the hours are much worse, but I couldn’t imagine
anywhere I’d rather be. After accumulating a wealth of knowledge from my many years of nannying I created this blog to share my expertise with other mothers. Love, Jess
Schedules
Keeping a schedule isn’t just for the “perfect moms”. You need a schedule because you can’t afford not to have one. No one knows that you have a million things going on in your head like another mom. It’s takes a great deal to do what you do. You need a simple way to make sure everything gets done, so you need to map out what your schedule will look like. Keep in mind that you might need to tweak it every now and then. Toddlers get older and need fewer naps, the kids are home during the summer, and many other things change. Change what you need to, and keep what works for you. Your kids will appreciate a schedule after long too.Time Out!
This one isn’t for your kids. You need an obvious time out from time to time. When you feel like you’re at your wit’s end, it’s time to retreat. Words can’t be taken back, and a stressed out mom is not a fun mom to be around. That said, you’re only human, and you do need a time out every now and then. Find activities your kids can do safely before you have a blowout. This would be a good time to put on your kids’ favorite TV show or movie. Get them involved in a game that you don’t need to supervise. If you have very small children, invest in a play yard or some other safe environment so that you can take your time out.
Relax
Relaxation is the best remedy for stress, so take periodic moments for relaxation throughout the day. You can’t be on the go all the time. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You’re not a bad mom for taking some “me time”. It’s actually necessary. You can’t take care of others unless and until you first take care of yourself. You might want to get up a little extra early, or stay up later at night. That’s one of the benefits of being older than your kids: They need more sleep than you. Take advantage of it. It could be something as simple as enjoying your morning coffee and mentally getting ready for the day.It could be something as easy as having a list of easy recipes in advance so that dinner is not a big ordeal that adds stress. At the end of the day, you could watch your favorite TV show.Play
Playing isn’t just something you do to entertain your kids. It’s a time to be absolutely silly. Playing is fun for you too, so find something you love doing with your kids. You can make silly faces, chase your kids, play “hide and seek” or anything else you have fun doing with your kids. Having fun eases stress, and it creates awesome memories.Have Goals
A common problem for stressed out moms is that each day looks like the last. If you can’t tell what day it is, or the month for that matter, it might be time to reach for some goals. Having goals gives you a sense of accomplishment once you attain them, but they do a lovely job of shaping an interesting and fulfilling day. Think about a fitness goal, for instance. Let’s say you take up weight-lifting and a part of that involves exercising outside in the morning. You’d become leaner and stronger while breathing in fresh air and enjoying the sunrise each morning. Learn a language, buy a cheap acoustic guitar, take different types of guitar lessons, or learn to dance. Being a mom is one of the best things you can be, but don’t stop there. Savor each moment of the day.Laugh
Having access to the Internet means that you have access to a never-ending array of funny videos to watch and articles to read. Take 10 minutes here and there to laugh. Laughing and smiling changes so many things. For starters, it relieves stress, it helps to ease insomnia, pain, migraines, disease and more, and it’s so simple. Even a fake laugh and smile can change your mood around, so just be silly.Get Moving
If one of your goals is to exercise, you get a “two-for” with this one. Exercising offers numerous benefits in one package. It, too, helps to relieve insomnia, as long as you don’t do it shortly before bedtime. It gets your blood moving, which provides essential nutrients and oxygen to the rest of your body, and it promotes healing. It also helps to clear the mind and physically work out pent-up emotions. Exercising helps to produce endorphins, which, alone, offers a ton of benefits. Being a mom can certainly be fun too. You will undoubtedly hear your kids say, “I’m glad you’re my mom” and they’ll have all of these special reasons why. Take time to appreciate each moment. At the end of the day, don’t let little things stress you out. Hair grows back, and the carpet can be shampooed, but you can’t get time back with your little ones.Author Bio
Since I was 17 I was a full time Nanny. I lived with various business parents who, sadly, were so focused on chasing money that they had no time to raise their children. That’s right, they had enough money to pay a full time live-in nanny and still wanted more. I do not begrudge them this. Being overly maternal, even from a young age, I landed my dream job. I played mother to children and got paid for it. This went on for a few different families before I met my husband, 14 years later. I now play mother to my own children and am
looking forward to providing guidance across their whole lives, not just the early years with Parent.Guide. The pay is less and the hours are much worse, but I couldn’t imagine
anywhere I’d rather be. After accumulating a wealth of knowledge from my many years of nannying I created this blog to share my expertise with other mothers. Love, Jess
