Not all of our patience problems are caused by our offspring. I’m so very guilty of this one! I don’t like disorder. A messy kitchen sets the tone for me to start getting grumpy. When I feel frantic, my attitude changes and kids are very observant and they change as well. There are 2 ways to handle this dilemma.
The first is to stay on top of it, and this isn’t always possible. If I plan well, I know that our house will be clean, the kids’ school supplies/lunches/clothes will be ready to go, and dinner will be at least planned. When life is organized, it gives us a general sense of ease and order. It’s comfortable to not be rushed or panicked.
The second option is to realize that it can’t always be ordered and perfect, and take the disorder with a grain of salt. The kitchen will eventually get cleaned. The kids will not be in therapy because they didn’t have their clothes laid out for them the night before. Try to make the chaos a teachable family lesson. Assign easy tasks for the kids so you can be proud of them while they’re helping lighten your load.
What steps do you take to maintain some type of balance, any tips or tricks to share?
In case you missed our kick off post on this journey to find patience you can find it here.
