When mothering gets hard

I text out an SOS when I am on the verge of a mom meltdown.

“I’m a donkey on the edge.” (Thank you, Eddie Murphy)

Most of the time, there’s nothing the recipients of my message can do about it. My sister lives in another state. My BFF might as well, too, since she moved across the river and into the next county. Plus, my husband is almost always out of town when I get to the brink. Coincidence?

Probably not.

But…I’m a donkey on the edge so like the honey badger I don’t even care.

And logically I know this happens every fall.

School and sports start. There’s paperwork to be filled out. Doctor appointments, dentist visits, open house, and no time to take a breath.

And of course, this is when the kids fight, act out, and forget their arms and legs actually work.

I survived through four years of solo parenting while the Hubs was overseas. I had to remind myself last week that he used to be gone a lot longer when I didn’t think I could make it by myself during his short trip out of state.

“This too shall pass” was the silken thread that my sanity clung to for years.

I repeated it to myself constantly.

I read lovely words on blogs about how important it was to take time off to get a massage or pedicure and I nearly choked on how much I wanted that massage.

I used the monthly two hours of parent’s night out at a local daycare to get my hair cut and to grab sushi to go.

Sushi “to go” because I couldn’t get my hair cut and eat within my window of “free time.”

Some months I chose to skip a cut so I could grocery shop by myself.

So believe me when I say I got so close to the edge that I could count the pebbles as they rolled over.

I made it through though.

Everything passes.

But there are things you can do when you are in the thick of it and about to boil over. Quick sanity savers that will relieve some of the pressure until “it” too passes.

So here are some tips for mothers when being a mom is hard.

Always wake up before the kids.
Breathe in the steam from a warm cup of coffee or tea. Revel in the stillness of the house. Memorize the smells and peace of your home while it is still full of promise.

And when all goes to poop, close your eyes and think about the morning. Remember that tomorrow will bring a new morning.

At the end of the night, sip on some wine and remind yourself that it will pass.

Wash your face and brush your teeth.
Already did it before you rushed out of the door this morning as if you weren’t already late? Do it again. Start fresh. I won’t lie, though. On those hard days, you can bet that even though it’s 1pm, I haven’t done either.

Clear a spot for yourself.
Even if it’s only two square feet, clean an area until it is how you like it and sit there for a minute. And this works in reverse for those of you who don’t thrive on the starkness of “clean and uncluttered.” Spread out your checklists and paper in that square space and sit there for a minute.

Reset.

Your negative energy and frustration are the underlying cause of your kids “poor” behavior.

Change your environment. Bring the kids to the park or if you need to get work done, head somewhere with a play area and free wifi.

Eat.

No matter the craziness of the day, make sure you eat. Grab a Lean Pocket.

It takes two minutes to cook, comes in a sleeve that you can use to hold it, and fills you up.

This too shall pass.

Find the fringe time and use it. For me, the fringes are the times when I am sitting in the car waiting for the kids to get out of school, standing in a long line at the grocery store, waiting while the kids are at soccer practice, etc. I am writing this post while my daughter’s team runs drills. Working on my blog is a stress reliever for me. If pinning paleo desserts relieves your stress, then pin paleo desserts during these fringe times.

And when you actually can, go get a massage…or go to the chiropractor with back pain and you can grab one while you are there.

Do you ever feel like a “donkey on the edge?” How do you step back and reset?

I want to help relieve the stress a little. I am running a giveaway for $20 Paypal Cash. Grab yourself something to eat or get your haircut. Do whatever you want to do…for you.

This giveaway is open worldwide and runs through 11:59pm August 31.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

And you can grab a coupon too! {Lean Pockets Coupon}