You’re with your kids and they’re being kids, maybe being a little too wild or a little loud ... but, for all practical purposes, not doing anything wrong other than just being kids.
And yet, you lose your cool.
Surely I can’t be the only mama who occasionally snaps at her children when they aren’t doing anything wrong. Maybe it’s because you’re having a bad day, you don’t feel good, or your internal temperature has been building over a day full of small, insignificant mess-ups; but, for some reason, you finally lose your cool and take it out on your kids.
This is something that mamas deal with in their day-to-day life but I would wager that it doesn’t make you feel any better after the fact knowing that other mamas are dealing with the same thing. All of a sudden, you’ve lost it and you look up to see little faces slack with astonishment, guilt, and sadness and you feel like the most rotten mama on the planet.
Like I tell my kids often, mamas make mistakes too, and the way to handle it is the same as how you tell your kids to handle their mistakes…apologize and move on doing better. But sometimes, as an adult, we’re bogged down with guilt and it’s hard for us to move ourselves past the place of blame. Today, I want to share a few ways that I’ve found as good options to redeem your day after you snap.
Ask for forgiveness
As mamas we need to remind our kids that we mess up just like they do. A great way to do that is to get down on their level and make a heartfelt apology. Speak some truth in their lives by reminding them that you make mistakes and specifically ask for them to forgive you for your current one. Remind them of the truth of the situation (whether they were making a mistake or not) and talk about how you handled it the incorrect way and how you can handle it better the next time. If you want to take it a step further, you can also pray for God’s forgiveness out loud with them so they can see an example of your relationship with God as well.
Throw a dance party
Once the forgiveness is given (and my kids aren’t quick to forgive and forget!), you want to take some time to reset the mood in your house. I’ve found that a great way to do this is to throw an impromptu dance party. Put on some music that everyone loves to dance to (Can’t Stop The Feeling, anyone?) and get your groove on. Your kids will probably giggle at you making a fool of yourself and a little exercise will get endorphins flowing through you and your kids to help you all feel better.
Spend some time snuggling
Once you’ve gotten some of your pent-up energy out, take a few minutes to snuggle with each kiddo and remind them how much you love them. Whether it’s by telling them you’ll read each of them one book of their choosing or just a quick hug and kiss repeating your favorite love mantra, take some time to reconnect with each of them and reestablish your familial bonds. I’m of the opinion that you can never tell someone that you love them too often so take a second to remind your kids of the truth of your love.
And after you’ve asked for forgiveness and reset the tone in your house, move on!
Just like God throws your sins “as far as the east is from the west,” so should you. Don’t let one mistake ruin a perfectly good day.
You’ve taken the time to think about how you can handle yourself better next time so now forgive yourself and continue with your day.
