Parenthood
is an endurance marathon that you cannot train
for, and certain moments of the journey will be exhilarating while others will
sap your energy. Juggling the demands of
a family is an incredible feat that warrants respect and
appreciation.Erin Schlicher
screamed in sheer annoyance! In a split second, the frightened and innocent look
on the face of my daughter jolted me back to reality. How could I have screamed
that much at a little girl, all in the name of correction. The fatigue cum
emotional turmoil all of a sudden gave way to shame and regrets.
My four year old in her bid to return the
can of milk back to the storage after making her tea, lost her grip and the can
fell spilling it’s content on the floor. This happened shortly after she tried
to get her tea cup which is usually kept high up the shelf with the aid of a
chair and slipped; her fall was cushioned by a couch. It happened so fast that
only the butterflies in my tommy and my mouth still wide ajar were the only
evidence of the fright I had. All this occurred in a space of 10 minutes, right
after I walked in from work and briefly sat on the dinning chair in a bid to
catch my breath and regain my stamina. Looking back at the events of that Friday evening, I can clearly see that my child was only trying to be independent, but
instead of gently cautioning her I screamed at her attempt at independence.
Oooh poor me! #remorseful
felt ashamed and apologized profusely to my daughter. With the innocence of a
child, she hugged, forgave me and minutes later, we were playing like the
evening had been all perfect. The heart of a child! I could now clearly
understand why the bible admonishes that we be like them (a child)!!
Parenting comes with many moments that puta strain our system and place enormous demand on us, often leaving us tired and
drained. Some parents keep a job while
others run a home and most others joggle these two plus having to deal with
friends and family. All these put more pressure on us than we expect.
Eventually, our over-worked bodies eats up our patience and our temper raised.
So, whenever you feel tired but have to deal with your loved ones especially
children, remember the following tips:
Support – Whenever you realize your strength is spent and your patience is
shortening, ask for help/support or utilize the ones you already have. This can
entail calling on nannies/baby sitters,
grannies, friends, etc to provide a little time off from the kids.
Ensure you rest or do something relaxing when the respite comes.
some rest once you are tired or exhausted – Whether you’re a parent who
works outside of the home or you’re a stay-at-home parent, you’re going to get
tired at some point. If possible, take naps when your children nap, and
remember, it’s okay to leave dirty dishes in the sink or let some housework go.
Put yourself first and get some rest when you can. You are also more likely to
make bad decisions when you are exhausted. To remain calm and rational when dealing
with kids, always take proper take care of yourself once exhausted, that
includes getting enough rest or even a change of scenery when the need arises.
alternative tools – This last tip is for those that do not have a ready
support/help to call upon when they need respite from the kids. Alternative
tools like – TV time and games for the older ones and leaving your toddler in
the play pen with safe toys. Allowing your kids have excess TV time once in a
while, just to afford you time to rest
doesn’t make you a bad mother. So indulge when the need arises.
strength when exhausted will help maintain our sanity and effectiveness while
allowing us to tap into the joy that parenting brings. Never forget that our
children learn by imitation and they will reproduce the same character trait
they see when it comes to expressing their own frustrations.
from here – http://www.parentfurther.com.php53-8.dfw1-2.websitetestlink.com/resources/enewsletter/archive/when-youre-too-tired
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