Parenting is a messy job.  But it really is the best job.  How can you compare the snuggles, the beautiful pictures, and the endless hours reading children’s books to anything else in the world?  Parenting is joyous!

But what happens when the joyous moments are not plentiful? (Recently a friend joked that there is no joyeux in parenting.)  We all have days when milk spills all over the kitchen you just cleaned.  The library book that your child was supposed to bring back to school never made it into their backpack.  You forgot all about that dentist appointment for Joey’s cleaning.  Have you had one of those days?  I have- many, many, many times!!!

So what’s a parent to do?  How do you get out of the funk?

After all, we are continually modeling for our children.  We want to teach them that bad things happen and sometimes you just have to pull up your big girl pants and move on.
Here are some suggestions that I can offer to turn that frown upside down:
  • Turn on some music and sing at the top of your lungs.  If you dance at the same time you get extra points.  (I will admit publicly that I enjoy singing “Let It Go” really loud.)

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  • Exercise a little.  Jumping jacks, dancing, or even burpees-they help your brain release endorphins, the feel good chemical that tells the rest of you to get out of the funk.

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  • Call a friend and vent.  Being able to tell someone else that your day is yucky may help you move forward.
  • Retail therapy!  Even if you just do some online surfing without purchasing a thing.  Imagining yourself in a gorgeous new outfit could give you new motivation to work out or just think about better days to come.
  • Hug your child tight!  They are only little for a little while.  The spilled milk is just that.
  • Add Chocolate!  Seriously, I am a firm believer that Chocolate fixes most problems.And if it doubt, JUST FAKE IT.  Sometimes if you stop thinking about all of the small disasters that happened that day, you move past the difficult moments a little faster.

How do you find the joy in parenting?

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