7 Ways to Handle a Bad Mom Day
Everyone has bad days. Moms, especially, can have some pretty rough days. Running a household, taking care of a significant other, taking care of herself (sometimes), working (or not) and raising kids all at the same time can produce a lot of stress. As much as you love being a mom, bad days are bound to happen and there is no reason to feel guilty about that. Here are seven ways you can get through a bad mom day.
7 Ways to Handle Bad Mom Days
1. Give yourself grace.
The first thing you need to remember is that YOU ARE A GOOD MOM. Having a bad mom day does not define you. You are allowed to feel stressed and overwhelmed and just OVER IT. Don’t beat yourself up for having a bad day or two. You’re not the first and you won’t be the last mom to have a crap-tastic mommy day.
2. Take a time out.
The kids are driving you crazy and you just want to run away. So why don’t you? Make sure the kids are in a safe place and go sit in your bedroom with the door closed and locked for a few minutes. Grab a coffee or a cookie on your way in there, too. If you need to blast some music to drown out the calls of your needy, irritating children, go for it. As long as they’re safe, they will be okay for a few moments so you can refocus and get some much needed peace.
3. Do something fun.
If you’re having a bad day, chances are your kids are feeling it and probably feel a bit cranky too. Maybe ALL of you need a bit of a break. Dishes and laundry can wait for an hour while you take the kids to the park or the library or the ice cream parlor. Surprise them with an impromptu fun outing and I promise you’ll be feeling a bit better by the time you come back home.
4. Let yourself cry.
There is zero shame in allowing yourself a good, old-fashioned, cleansing cry. When I’m feeling overwhelmed and stressed by the pressures of being a suddenly single mom, I will excuse myself to the bathroom or my bedroom and just let it out. Sometimes, my cry will last a few minutes. Sometimes it lasts longer. Whatever it takes to release that pent-up frustration, give yourself the space to feel it and let it go.
5. Journal, pray or meditate.
Often, at the end of a particularly bad day, I will spend some time writing about my fears and frustrations. Then I’ll pray for more patience and grace the next day. Simply writing about my experience that day will help me pinpoint what is actually bothering me, and it will allow me to process it so I can be a better mom tomorrow.
6. Get out of the house.
Sometimes, being stuck at home with kids all day can make me want to pull my eyelashes out. Just as they can get stir crazy and wild, so can mom. If you’re feeling like you’re heading for a bad mom day, try to get yourself (either alone or with the kids) out of the house for an hour simply for a change of scenery.
7. Apologize.
Your kids love you. And they understand what it’s like to have a hard day. They have hard days too. Sitting down with your kiddos and explaining that mommy is having a hard day, and then apologizing for being in a bad mood, will go a long way. They will better understand why you might be impatient or short-tempered, and they will appreciate your being real and honest with them. It will also give them a great example of apologizing for not-so-nice behavior and forgiving a loved one.
Bad mom days are going to happen, so it’s better to prepare how to handle them now. Above all else, don’t forget that you are the best mom for these kids and they will love you no matter what. Hang in there, mamas!
— Cheyenne Bell
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This article originally appeared on Baby Chick.
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