Getting Through the Tough Mornings

    

    Yesterday I was at church and I struck up a conversation with a lady about our kids. She was having a particularly tough morning with her 2 year old daughter and 3 year old son. I actually had had a good morning with our 9 mo, but we still commiserated together on the concept of those "tough mornings," and how we got through those days. 
    The consensus we came to about how we get through those tough days, is to focus on the good in that bad moment. We are all human, and anyone with a kid can tell you that they see that humanity every day in their child, first hand. Who knew that something so small and precious could be so stubborn and willful?! Haha. 
    I was reminded of this conversation I had with this lady , as I was trying to rock my dear daughter to sleep and she adamantly was refusing to go down for a nap! She was changed and fed, obviously tired, past her nap time, rubbing her eyes... but she just wasn't having it. It took me over an hour of rocking to finally get her down in her crib! As I write this, I'm watching our video monitor and seeing her sleeping their peacefully all sprawled out in her crib. Yet an hour ago, she was whining, pulling at me, and pushing me... and boy was I frustrated! 
    So in those moments, what do I focus on to make that bad morning seem less bad? 

I focus on the good. I focus on all of the loving and sweet moments we have. 

• Her sweet hugs.
• How she lays her head on me affectionately and looks up at me with a wry smile.
• How sweetly she can say mama. 
• How she reaches for me and wants me when something startles her or she needs me. 
• How she looks so peaceful and sweet as she sleeps. 

There are some days where I just have to keep repeating the scripture Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ through strengthens me." 

• In those hard moments, I have to keep telling myself that this will pass. This one bad morning is one bad moment out of so many good moments/days.    

The lady who I was speaking to yesterday said that when she's having a tough morning, she will say to her daughter, "I'm out of kisses!" Those sweet affectionate moments with her children are what gets her through that bad morning. 

• My 9 month old is still too young to say this to and for her to understand as of yet, but I am going to keep this one in my back pocket for when she's older and we're having a tough day. To turn a situation that is aggravating into a sweet moment with your child is such a great tip!