Less Stressed 2024

While I am not one for New Years resolutions I vote us parents join together to make 2024 a less stressful one. The Christmas season can be a flood of emotions from; stress, to happiness, to grief, to anger, etc. a ginormous wave we find ourselves trying to not be drowned by. I found myself drowning and becoming angry mom hulk Kool-aid manning my way out of the waves. This is why I want to strive to do better, for my sake and my families sake. Believe me no one wants to see angry stressed mom hulk.

See exhibit A: Below (Photo Credits Marvel Studios)

Sometimes, what a parent needs most is a good support system. While we strive to do better lets help each other and make 2024 less stressful. The less stressed we are the less likely we are to hulk. Because like toothpaste once we snap and hulk out we can not take it back in. What’s done is done.

I have four children and I am a stay at home mom who home-schools. I get no breaks from my children nor do they from each other. Always being together definitely increases their attitudes towards one another while decreasing their patience.

See exhibit B: Below (Photo Credit kidspot)

During the Christmas season when we take a break from school and get dragged into all the chaos of the season our schedule goes out the window, along with bed times. Once the season comes to an end trying to start back up again is like riding a tricycle with a broken wheel. I know parents whose kids go to public school have the same problem; getting back on the train is no easy feat.

So how can we reel back in the stress? By supporting one another. Be an ear for a parent when they need some one to vent to. Let’s share ideas on how to help manage our stress. Please feel free to jump in entering a comment below. When we support each other we can learn and grow from other perspectives.

I’ll start, schedules are a huge help. As a home school family set times may be hard if we have dance during the day or co-op. However, having a schedule even without exact times for what the day may look like can help the day flow more smoothly. I know how easy it is to get question burn out from your children. Schedules help them know what is to come. Therefore, eliminating some of those questions. *Have to insert my random 2am thought lol, dishwasher magnets are also a great way to help answer the question of whether or not the dishwasher is clean. I easily get asked this twenty times a day.*

I’d like to share a suggestion from my friend Erin, have your children help lighten your load. I know I am one who falls under the category of it is easier to do it myself. This causes me to add way more to my Jenga stack making my stress blocks even more unstable. By doing this my children are not benefiting from how to be responsible nor are they learning how to do things. If I do everything for them they will never learn. Why yes I know what some of you are thinking, but the fits they give me when I ask them to wash the dishes or clean up their toys is so frustrating. Believe me I get it, I am new to this stress reliever idea as well. However, I never want to hold my child back the more times they clean up their room themselves or wash the dishes on their own the better they will become at it. Children can easily exceed your expectations of what you think they are capable of so set the bar high.

Please comment ideas you have found to help you live a less stressful parenting life. Let us have a Less Stressed 2024!!!