Jay had temps of 39 degrees during the night, and  you watched the sun rise whilst still rocking and patting since it set in the night before…

Your husband left at 4am to get to the airport in time for his flight – he’ll be back in 3 days – the milk for breakfast is sour, a load of wet washing has been in the machine for 2 days, faithful Angelina messaged to say she’s sick and going to the clinic, and there’s just enough petrol in the car to go to school via the petrol station so Sara is going to be 20 minutes late, not just 5. When you arrived at John’s school, he discovered he’d left his sports kit at the front door. The day has barley started – can it get any worse?

Anyone identify with that all too familiar feeling?

Yesterday and the day before that, and the day before that were equally as busy and your head was already spinning before the chaos of today.

Sometimes the mountain seems too high to climb, you’d love to run and hide, where does one go to resign…valid under the circumstances but unfortunately not an option.

You are feeling overwhelmed! The dictionary definition is: to feel buried or drowning beneath a huge mass of something. Synonyms: swamped, engulfed, flooded, overloaded, snowed under, overburdened, inundated, saturated.

This describes it EXACTLY!

Henry Cloud says, “The subjective experience of powerlessness, or helplessness, is one of the worst states a human can have. Sometimes, it becomes an identity. If that happens, a person drifts along in despair, feeling unable to change anything. Don’t let that happen. Reclaim your power to choose!”.

Whilst you can’t choose to resign you can choose to do some things differently and be intentional about specific activities to make that mountain look like a mole hill and increase your resilience.

This is not an exhaustive list but some points to consider:

1. Value yourself.  Ensure that you are including self-care in your day.
2. Choose healthy snacks and meals rather than take out and sugar laden food.
3. Try to find a gap to take a walk, ride a bike, swim or attend an exercise class. Just 30 minutes has huge physical and emotional benefits.
4. It’s ok to ask for help. Grandparents and friends can step in and help while you take a break.
5. Even half an hour of doing something you enjoy: reading, sewing or gardening will feed your sense of well being.
6. It’s ok to say no!! You don’t have to be the class mom for both classes, you don’t have to take home baked treats for the cake sale, and baker-baker can be Marie biscuits!
7. Get professional help if there are emotional or physical issues weighing you down.
8. Celebrate progress not perfection. Things wont change over night! Baby steps…
9. Stop and smell the roses and have fun along the way. The season wont last forever.
10. Pursue connection with your Father God, He promises to strengthen us for the load we carry and time with Him brings refreshing, hope, peace and joy.
11. Talk to a friend and get some perspective.
12. It’s ok to cry!! It’s good for you!
13. Give yourself permission to rest!

What are some of your coping mechanisms for the overwhelm of modern parenting? Share with us and let’s support each other as a community of parents all doing our best!

By Barbara Cooper – Principal