10 Ways Moms Can Save Their Sanity on Really Hard Days

Ten ways you can keep it together when your kids are being really difficult. Find out how to respond in the moment and how to improve things for the future.

Frustrated mother

Being a mom can be hard.

Really hard.

You love your children, but that doesn’t mean every day is sunshine and roses. Many days are very hard.

In this post, I talk about 10 different strategies you can use to help maintain your sanity–your happiness, your patience, and your positive outlook–on those hard days.

Kids Can Be Hard

As adorable, intelligent, sweet, kind, fun, loving, and all-around perfect we find our children to be, there are still those moments when our children absolutely drive us to the brink of insanity.

Some days you think you just might lose your mind.

Some children push us there harder and faster than others. I love this quote,

A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a child who tests your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505.” 

Lynn G. Robbins

Oh, how I know that.

Kids keep us on our toes. Sometimes they gang up on us all at once, and other times they take turns. When they go all at once, we feel super overwhelmed. When they take turns, we feel super burnt out.

Some kids are 101 newborns but 505 preschoolers. Some 505 toddlers turn into 101 6 year olds.

Others are a rollercoaster of ups and downs and makes us wonder exactly what we enrolled in.

10 Ways to Save Your Sanity

Finding Sanity in the Chaos

I recently faced a day when a certain child of mine had pushed me to my limit. I was very frustrated.

I don’t like to be frustrated in general and especially not with my children, so I came up with a list of things to do when I need to save my sanity.

First, five ways to collect yourself:

  1. Pray. The first thing I did when I reached my limit was hit my knees and pray. I prayed for patience, for understanding, for love, and for help. I definitely got it, and thus this list was born.
  2. Take a Time Out. It can help to take a time out for yourself and gain some perspective. Chances are once you are able to take a moment to breath, you can assess the situation for what it really is and will realize it is not as terrible as it seems in the heat of the moment. Taking a time-out for yourself is definitely not as easy as just walking away if you have young children. You need to first get that child in a safe situation before you go take your time-out.
  3. Call Your Spouse. I find strength in calling my husband and talking things through with him. He can offer some sanity-saving perspective and yet can also understand to some degree what I am talking about. Sometimes just venting about it can help relieve some pressure. You can also brainstorm with your spouse ideas for solving the issue if it needs to be solved.
  4. Get Inspiration and Peace. Sing a favorite tune–something that brings peace to you like a hymn. Read a favorite scripture–especially one that encourages you to press forward or to love unconditionally. Read a favorite quote that boosts you up.
  5. Find the Humor. You know how when someone else’s child is acting up you can find it really funny, but when it is your child, you are not so amused? I think of a friend whose son one day got into her 5 gallon bucket of flour. Hilarious story from my perspective. It might not have been so funny to me if I had walked into my kitchen to find 5 gallons of flour spread by a toddler…try to find the humor in what you are facing.

Next, five ways to grow that love for your child so you can maintain better patience in the future:

  1. List 10 Things You Love. Either write down on paper, think to yourself, or verbalize to your child ten things you love about your child. What is it about this age you will miss when it is gone? What unique personality traits do you enjoy about your child? What things does your child do that you appreciate? This turns our focus to the good–we see the wheat in our field rather than the tares. There will always be good and always be bad, and focusing on the good helps us love and appreciate the good there is.
  2. Recall Memories. This is when some form of journal-keeping comes in handy. This can be in a traditional written journal, a scrapbook, a baby book, a slideshow of pictures or videos on your computer, a list of funny things your child has done…take a moment to remember the good times. Remember how you think this child is pretty much one of the top five most amazing people to grace this planet? Remind yourself of why.
  3. Do Service. The answer to our own pity parties is always to serve others. Think of some service you can provide to your child at this moment.
  4. Do Fun. Create a new fun memory. Read a book, play a game, paint fingernails…do something just fun together that is no-stress.
  5. Cuddles and Hugs. Cuddle up and give your child hugs. I find when I am feeling frustrated with a child, giving a nice, long hug always melts away that frustration.

Consider the Cause of the Difficulty

I wanted to add a bit of advice, also.

If your child is suddenly acting out of sorts and not being himself, there is a good chance there is a good reason for that. He might be teething or have an ear infection. Maybe he is feeling like he needs more one-on-one time with you.

Once you have saved your sanity and are ready to face the day with grace again, take some time to see if there is an extenuating circumstance that has put your child in a super grumpy mood.

Remember my day I was super frustrated that I talked about in the beginning?

Well, I knew it was uncharacteristic, and a trip to the doctor the next morning revealed a double ear infection.

You might also realize your child needs a schedule change of some sort in the day–whether that be more or less sleep or some increased mental or physical stimulation. Something might need to change.

Conclusion

I leave you with this quote from Thomas S. Monson

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly. 

Thomas S. Monson

I believe this to be true. Grandmother after grandmother tries to impress this upon me and every other young mother out there when she gets the chance. I already see things I miss profoundly; as our days go by more and more quickly, I try to maintain my sanity and cherish each moment to the best of my ability. I want to remember these moments with fondness, a bit of humor, and without regret.

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10 thoughts on “10 Ways Moms Can Save Their Sanity on Really Hard Days”

  1. Thanks for this post today, God knew I needed to read this today. I've been having a frustrating few days with my almost 9month old who seems to be going through some separation anxiety. She bawls when I leave the room for 10 seconds to get a glass of water or if I have to go to the bathroom! It's to the point where I can't even hold her anymore because my back is just aching. I find what helps me is to pause, pray, and ask the Lord for wisdom.

    Reply
  2. A much-needed post for me today! I'm not sure if my almost-4-year-old is getting sick or something else, but yikes. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Wow, the timing of this post! I've been pulling my hair out today and this really helped put me in a different frame of mind. Thank you Thank you!

    Reply
  4. I needed this today! Yesterday was like one big tantrum all day long for no apparent reason. Today is better, but I'm not recovered from yesterday yet and needed a little lift. Thank you.

    Reply
  5. one way I cope is to take a picture or the insanity. if a child dumps all the flour out, or unrolls the toilet paper, or the kids are running around crazy, I grab my camera. something about taking a pictures helps me to separate from the feelings of frustration and see the situation in a whole new way…and laugh about it. sending the pic to my hubby helps, because he laughs with me.

    Reply
  6. Thanks. I am potty training and having a rough week. I always feel I'm in control and yet right now I'm feeling I can't get a grip. Thanks for your words.

    Reply

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