Are your kids driving you INSANE, no matter what you do, say, or give them? I’ve found that there are usually five main things to blame on days like this, so I’m going to break them down in list format for you.
The next time you’re having one of those days, go down this list (in order) to try and get everyone to chill out!
- Blood Sugar: When’s the last time you ate? When’s the last time your KIDS ate? This is always the first thing I check because it’s the easiest problem to solve. Maybe the root cause of all the crazy is that everyone is just hangry!
- Your Caffeine Levels: How much caffeine have you had? If you’re like me, you need caffeine to survive, but sometimes too much caffeine can be doing you a disservice. I know if I’ve had too much because I feel panicky and on edge. Almost manic. When my body is too hopped on caffeine, my fuse becomes really short with my kids. So maybe cut back a little and see if your mood (and patience) improves!
- Energy Levels: It might be time for everyone to head outside and blow off some steam. Not even joking, when my f5-year-old is being extra insane, I make her run laps around the house to chill out (#noshame). Sometimes kids just need to get it out, so let them! And if you can find a few minutes, get your own endorphins pumping; it’ll help improve your mood! Maybe you need to join in on the around-the-house laps 😉
- Your To-Do List: How many things are you trying to juggle while your kids are driving you nuts? I’ve found that when I’m focused on too many other things, my kids start becoming extra annoying. Why? Because I’m annoyed that they keep interrupting me and I can’t finish the task(s) at hand! So if you can stop what you’re doing, stop. Just focus on what your kids need from you in that moment and come back to the other stuff. When our brain is scattered across too many things, we tend to become stressed and usually, the kids get the brunt of that.
- Full Moon: When’s the next full moon? No seriously, Google it. If I have gone through #1-4 above and my kids are STILL driving me insane, it’s usually because there’s a full moon that week. Go ahead and laugh, but I’m telling you – the full moon screws my kids up once a month and it is NOT FUN.
What other things would you add to this list? How do you turn the insane days around?
