3 things you should do after a HARD day of parenting

We all know parenting is hard, but some days are much more challenging than others. Sometimes, despite our best efforts the day ends with frustrated family members who just couldn’t seem to see eye-to-eye during the day.

If you’ve faced a hard day with your kids there are a few things you can do to turn even the worst of days around, before your head hits the pillow.

Take a deep breath

Remember, none of us are perfect. If you lost your cool and ended up yelling at your kids, it’s still going to be okay. Before doing anything else take a moment to breathe and remind yourself that you are a wonderful mom!

In moments like this I love the quote from Jodi Picoult:

“The very fact that you worry about being a good mom means that you already are one.”

I believe we all need that reminder from time to time, and most especially after a hard day.

If that’s you today, pause before you read on, close your eyes take a deep breath and remind yourself that you’re a great mom.

. . .

Are you back? I’m glad, because I know that even though it helps, a bad day isn’t completely solved with a deep breath in.

Connect, even for a moment

Find a way to connect with your kids, even if it’s just for a few moments. This is the end of the day, but maybe you can squeeze in one more bedtime story before they sleep or lay in bed next to them for a few extra minutes to talk about whatever is on their minds. Those tiny moments before the kids drift off to sleep can do wonders for both of you, most especially after a more difficult day of parenting.

If your kids are already asleep, don’t worry! You can still do this by sneaking in to give them an extra kiss or, if your kids can read, consider dropping a note by their bed for them to find in the morning. Even something as simple as “good morning, I love being your mommy” can help make sure tomorrow starts better than today ended.

Go to bed early

After a hard day, it’s all too easy to sit in front of the tv or work on household chores until you collapse into bed exhausted. But this really doesn’t help you feel better about the day or prepare you for success tomorrow.

After spending those extra moments connecting with your child, sip some tea, read a book, take a bath, do anything that relaxes you to help release the stress from the day and then go to bed early. As hard as it might be to leave a sink full of dirty dishes, your tomorrow self will thank you for it.

If you have trouble sleeping, like I do, you can try one of these crazy ideas to help you sleep. I feel like I’ve tried just about everything to sleep better, and finally a few things are working. No, I’m not trying to sell an oil or any kind of magic potion. But there are a few strategies that help this night owl get to bed easier. Check them out here.

The truth is, some days call for an early bedtime and the determination to face the day tomorrow well rested and ready to have a better day connecting with your family.

If you can’t stop thinking about tomorrow, check out this post for a few laughs about the things baby books ever warned us about and remember… you’re a good mom.