It's Okay NOT to Enjoy Every Moment
In our culture, there're just certain things that we say to each other, that are really commonplace but not really appropriate. For example, why is it okay for so many people comment on your size while you're pregnant?! Or when there is a large age gap between kids, you get all sorts of comments like "I guess that was an accident.” I could go on and on.
I’ve been thinking about this because the other day someone asked me, “Are you enjoying every single minute?" Mind you, my husband and I were leaving a restaurant with our two kiddos, and it had been a pretty typical evening out... complete with a meltdown or two. To that well-meaning lady, I said “Definitely not every movement!” Probably due to my blunt (but friendly) tone, she raised her eyebrows at me a bit before winking.
In this video, I talk about the fact that it's okay not to enjoy every moment. As parents, some moments of are simply not enjoyable. I discuss the following strategies to use during difficult seasons of parenting:
-Admit to yourself (and a close friend!) that you are going through a challenging season with your kids.
-Do some inventory regarding self-care. What are you currently doing (or NOT doing) to take care of yourself.
-Shift some responsibility to your spouse, if at all possible.
-Seek out more specialized assistance such as counseling, if you think the issue maybe more related to depression or anxiety than the circumstances.
-If the issue centers around your kids acting out, consider making a change. For example, you could try using a reward system.
For more on this topic, make sure to check out
episode 20 of my podcast Prism Parenting.
