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Parenting in the Real World

Jul 6, 2011 | 11:15 AM

AHHHHHHHH summer holidays a time for relaxing and spending time with family OR a time when the kids never leave your side and you pray the day would pass by faster so you can put them all to bed and have some piece and quiet.

So far I have experienced both sides of this parenting coin. I have had those glorious mornings like this morning where I was awoken because I had slept long enough and the sunshine was piercing through my bedroom windows.

However yesterday was a day where I wanted to put the kids to bed at 6:00 because I was all mommed out. I felt defeated and exhausted. I said and reacted to things in a negative way and I am sure my older kids kept their distance out of fear I would bite their heads off.

Isn’t parenting wonderful? My husband is away so it has been just the kids and I during my meltdown phase. His advise to me when I called to vent was take some ME time…take some time to cool off and be alone.

This advise is what I pray that all parents do this summer at one time or another, especially on the hard days.

Take some time away from the kids especially if you are single parenting. Schedule some adult time. Invite a friend over for coffee. Hire a sitter and go out, if even for an hour. Read a good book and let it devour your busy head.

DON’T get down on yourself if some days are overwhelming. We are human and life is challenging embrace and learn instead of being guilt ridden because you have normal feelings of frustration and exhaustion.

Remember the kids are always going to have more energy than you. That is why they are kids. Have some down time doing nothing whether the kids think it is fun or not. It is necessary to keep us from strangling them and dropping to our knees praying for school to start sooner.

Enjoy your summer and remember being a super mom never made anyone healthier. Creating boundaries and ME time does.