I've been finding myself short fusing a bit lately and I'm not sure if it's because...
there are never EVER enough hours in a day to get shit done,
I'm not getting enough sleep,
I'm not carving out time for self-care,
or
ALL OF THE ABOVE!
(it's likely all of the above).
Now the shittiest thing about this is that my kids know exactly how to push every possible button of mine to get me to my breaking point. I wouldn't say it's intentional, they just both need my undivided attention at the exact. same. time. (funny how that works eh?!)
With that said, I've had to sit down and make a list of my most easiest (to implement) strategies that will keep me from reacting to them in a way that I'll regret the second after.
What's been my most used strategy lately has been the "heads up" strategy. This is my 'go-to' when I need my kids to transition away from something that they really really enjoy (cue a really deep breath).
Essentially when I know that a transition is coming up, I give my child a warning that what they are doing is ending soon and I let them know exactly what's coming up. For example; just last night my son way playing with his cars and I needed him to get in the shower. So I gave myself enough time to give him not 1, not 2, but 3 heads up that cars were ending and we would be having a shower. Third time's a charm! This is the rule here.
I use this strategy....
to get them in the shower,
to get them dressed,
to get them to the table to eat,
to get those shoes on in the morning,
and the list goes on......
This strategy is only effective if you give yourself enough time to give them the "heads up" that a transition is coming. So it requires a little planning on your part.
I feel such a huge relief when my children transition without putting up a fight. Best feeling!!!!! Total #momwin. It never gets old here.
Since we are dealing with little people here who have very little attention spans, keep in mind that a heads up warning is not effective after saying it once. Third time's a charm! I promise! I sometimes have them repeat it back to me each time just to make sure they are actively listening and not just hearing my noise.
Whether you are feeling exhausted, frustrated, or defeated- there's no reason you can't implement this strategy to help make things a bit easier for yourself. I want you to try this strategy out as soon as possible and let me know how it goes
You've got this!
-Cori
p.s. If you've already tried this strategy and have gotten push back from your child then we need to chat. There's a reason for that and I'll tell you why. Book in a free 30-minute call here.
p.p.s. If you haven't tried this out yet then go for it! I've got a full playbook of strategies and I'm happy to share them with you. I'm here to give you solutions so you can enjoy your time with your child and not have to feel anxious, stressed, or defeated. Book in a FREE 30 minute call so I can tell you how to gain access to my playbook!