Staying Calm In The Storm!

Staying calm in the midst of a storm with screaming and crying kids is extremely tough! Trust me when I tell you, I've been there. At one point, I had four kids, all under the age of five! I've had my fair share of screaming kids, and there were days when I wanted to run out of my house and down the street, as my mom used to say! Ha Ha. My mom also used to say, "If someone says 'MOM' one more time, I’m changing my name!" As a child, I would always wonder what in the world she would change her name to and where she would go if she ran down the street. As a parent, it's reassuring to know that you're not alone in feeling this way, and it doesn't make you a bad parent!

One of the main things I learned with my four boys was to take five minutes for myself when I felt that way, if possible. Even in the midst of chaos, walking away for five minutes won't hurt anything if the kids are all physically safe. Taking five minutes gives you a moment to take some deep breaths and feel balanced again. I know you're probably thinking it's easier said than done, and sometimes it is, but if you do take the time for yourself, you will find it to be well worth the effort. Another approach that worked for me was to take full advantage of "ME TIME" when the kids went for a nap. I wouldn't get to have "ME TIME" every day, but I tried to do it when I felt I just needed that extra time for myself, and I had a rough day, or should I say days with an "S"! I enjoyed sitting on the couch, watching my favorite TV show. Your time might be more along the lines of taking a bubble bath or painting your fingernails. We all have different things that work for us, and it doesn't matter what it looks like as long as we take the time when we can. Sometimes, the laundry would just have to wait. After all, it wasn't going anywhere, so why not, right?

I remember so vividly one day when my twins and oldest son were fighting. At that very moment, I was nursing my newborn baby with tears streaming down my face as I watched my oldest three running and screaming. I'm not sure exactly why I was crying other than feeling overwhelmed and just getting adjusted to our latest addition to our family. Keep in mind that the older three kids were three, three, and five years old. If I'm going to be honest with you, I had several moments like that! I just wish I had someone to reassure me that I wasn't alone and that I was going to come out on the other side with a happy family of six!

Looking back now, I wouldn't change a moment, and I made it through! We had a few bumps in the road, but it was worth it! Just remember to TAKE 5 whenever you can to help you through your moments of chaos! Find another mom who is going through the same thing or has been through it and can share some wisdom. You'll be glad you did!