Diffuse stressful parenting moments in unique ways

Every parent has been in that situation where they feel they are moments from losing their cool and doing something they regret. Kids are frustrating sometimes and no parent has ever been calm and collected 100% of the time. Here are some ways that you may not have thought of, read on to learn more.

Silly Faces

Mid-meltdown, trade dirty looks and yelling for the funniest face you can think of. Your child or children will almost certainly have no idea what to make of this, especially if this is the first time you have

Dance party

When it becomes clear that you are reaching the point of no return, turn on some music and declare a dance party. Dance as goofy as possible and make your kids join in. Not only is it hard to stay mad while dancing, but the exercise itself will release endorphins which are nature’s version of happy pills. Everyone’s mood will immediately change.

Karaoke

You can use music another way to end a nightmare parenting moment; singing. To fully utilize this method, one must sing as loud as they possibly can to the most energetic song possible. Picture this; melting point reached but instead of screaming and losing your cool, you turn on the radio and Pink is singing her single, "Get the Party Started." You sing at the top of your lungs right along with her. By the time the song is over, your blood pressure should have gone down and you will probably be too out of breath to yell anyway.

Mimic

If you are anything like me, whining is your biggest pet peeve. It is more annoying to me than nails on a chalkboard. I have learned a trick that works if I remember to do it. When my daughter gets super whiney, I just mimic her tone and say whatever she is saying. She thinks I’m being silly and starts laughing. Then we can move along without the whine. I’ve heard this works well with tantrums too though I’ve never tried it. Many moms swear that by throwing themselves on the floor and mimicking their child’s tantrum, their child will be too distracted and humored to keep up their own.

Silent Game

As hard as it may be to believe, kids like games much more than they like annoying their parents. Next time the battle has begun with no clear end in sight, announce that the silent game has begun. First person to talk loses. You will get a few moments of silence and they will be so engrossed in winning that they will have forgotten about the war that was just being waged.

Written by

Christy Rasmussen

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