Kids driving you crazy? Here are 5 sanity savers

The Late-Summer Crazy

The kids are arguing…again. The dishes aren’t put away and the floors need attention. Don’t even ask about the status of the bathroom. The sheen of summer break has grown dull and now we’re in the countdown to school.

I know many moms are about crazy from the kids being home all the time. Even if you work and your kids have been in activities all summer, it’s still a trying time for many moms.

What’s fun in the beginning is now stressful. The kids have had too much togetherness. You need time to do those chores that normally get done while they are at school. You need a break and school’s not coming fast enough at this point.

Is this your situation?

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Good Memories

I can relate. The togetherness can be trying. And I do long for a cleaner house again. And yet. Watching the boys play in the pool together is priceless. Seeing a movie together is a rare luxury these days. Fond memories of fun summer activities warm my heart.

Purposeful parenting means that we take the time to build those memories. We are intentionally paying attention to what’s going on inside us so we can give our kids the best of us. Too often we let life carry us away and forget to be intentional about making memories we will all enjoy for year to come. And remember, making memories doesn’t have to take time and money. Even a few minutes of purposeful time can make a huge difference for your child.

5 Sanity Savers

As we come to summer’s-end, there are a few things we can do to reclaim our sanity before school starts. The list can help you to SPARK some ideas to get through the rest of your summer.

• Sleep. Get plenty of it. I know it’s tough but getting enough sleep is restorative and reduces stress. Also be sure your kids are getting plenty of sleep for the same reasons. I know with teens this can be difficult, but remove the electronics from their room and make them go to bed. Don’t let them sleep all day and they’ll want to go to bed earlier. I speak from experience here.
• Play. Make time to play with your kids. Yes, even your teens. This may mean playing a video game or dusting off the board games tonight. I find my kids are always happy to play as it’s a break from the same old-same old.
• Ask. Ask what their favorite memories are from the summer. Find out what their hopes and dreams are for this year. Make notes and plan ahead.
• Respect their differences. My kids have many similarities, but they are also very different. Respect that God made them different and teach them to learn to respect it in each other too. Don’t expect one child to act or respond like the other one. Help them to be patient with each other.
• Kick-start a new attitude. Lead the way in a new attitude as summer winds down. Decide that your kids don’t really drive you crazy and make a plan to get to bed tonight, then play a game tomorrow. Set aside time this week to ask your kids about their memories and plans. Sometimes a fresh perspective is simply a decision away.

Embrace the Moment

Most of all, take time to embrace this moment. Before we know it, we’ll be back to the crazy school schedule with sports and homework galore. I promise these are the days we’ll look back on someday and wish we’d really tuned in and made good memories. So get busy and make some great memories!

With love,

🌸 Andrea

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