How to Keep Your Patience With Your Kids

If you’re a mom, you know how some days require a lot more patience than others! Some weeks I feel I’ll never have enough patience; like I’m seriously just annoyed far too often. Here are some tips on how to keep your patience when it’s tough going:

1. Avoid burnout

Take care of the golden goose – it can’t lay eggs if it’s burntout and half dead. Prioritise yourself each week and get some quiet time to relax and get some peace. (read  more about SAHM burnout here)

2. Get enough sleep

I know it’s impossible. But a mom running on exhaustion is going to be snappy and impatient. Don’t be afraid, or ashamed, to ask for help. A family member or friend taking the kids once a week for a few hours, so that you can pass out and re-energize, will do you the world of good! Or plan to get to bed earlier than usual twice a week. It all adds up and helps.

3. Incorporate Quiet Time into your daily routine

Try incorporating an hour of quiet time into your day. Each child has an hour to do a calm activity in his/her own space, like reading, sleeping or watching a movie/documentary, and you get to do the same. It’s sanity-preserving for everyone, a fantastic break in the long day, before the dinnertime-bedtime rush.

4. Get objective and remember your reason

When you’re feeling impatient and exhausted and just ‘done’, try taking a few hours off and get away on your own. When you come back, you’ll see your kids in a fresh light – you’ll have missed them, and can appreciate how cute they are, and the break gives you some time to recall your reasons for parenting, and the importance of your role in the family!

5. Revisit your goals

Re-evaluating, or setting new goals for yourself, your children and your family will give you a fresh burst of daily purpose and energy. Sometimes, impatience breeds from burnout and a feeling of being on a never-ending ‘crazy train’. But having goals to work towards helps you view the hectic moments and days differently.

Have patience with all things, but most importantly, with yourself.

-Saint Francis de Sales

6. Give yourself some grace

Sometimes we are most impatient because we’re actually being hard on ourselves. We’re snappy and awful outwardly because of intense thoughts going on inside. When we cut ourselves some slack and give ourselves grace in whatever area we are battling with, a softness replaces the impatience. Cut yourself some slack, and chill!

Keeping your patience can be difficult sometimes, but managing and prioritizing yourself is an important part of being able to be a more patient person.

Know someone who could use this? Share it!