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It's About Woman's Health with Sharon Cabpell, CRNP
Summer Sanity
Remember how great it was, when we were kids, on the last day of school? Those days seemed so wonderful, but what about our MOTHERS? Did we drive them as crazy as our kids do us? Probably! So, what is a mother to do?
How will you manage your life this summer? With the kids underfoot ALL day, chaos can easily erupt!
Ten tips that work, sometimes.
1. Enforce a "No Tattling" rule. Arguments and tears are outcomes of tattling, so nip it in the bud ASAP! Lay down the law that you won't listen, and consistently enforce it, unless the report is to keep someone out of danger. They will get the message.
2. Buy an egg timer. Have the kids use it to make things fair. First, have them agree on a set amount of time for using an item. When the timer goes off, their turn is over.
3. Put away the "good" stuff. There are certain possessions that are special for each child and other family members. So put them away to avoid conflicts. Things you leave out are things you have to share.
4. Teach "decision makers." Rock, paper, scissors; drawing straws; flipping a coin are methods that come in handy when kids can't decide on rules, who gets to go first or who gets to choose what to do.
5. Create activity bins. To minimize conflicts and the complaints of "there's nothing to do," stock baskets or plastic containers with a few toys and age appropriate contents. For instance, legos, play-doh, cookie cutters, bubble blowers, art supplies, paper, and deck of cards. Have them work on this while you take a break.
6. Call for time-outs. Even a few seconds are enough to stop a quarrel. Help your child learn to say, "I'm too angry to talk right now," "I need to walk or ride my bike." "Give me a minute to cool off" (these work for grown ups, too!!).
7. Even numbers work better. Odd numbers of kids don't work as well as even numbers. If you have 3 kids, borrow a fourth. There is less likelihood that a kid will be "left out."
8. Teach conflict resolution. Four steps you can teach your kids: 1. Stop and calm down; 2. Take turns saying what's bugging you. No name calling; 3. Brainstorm solutions and agree to a win-win situation; 4. Do it! Keep reviewing the steps until they can do it without you.
9. Keep out of it! If you hear an argument starting, stay within earshot; don't jump in unless emotions get too high or before it escalates. Too much interference from you can escalate the squabble and can make them depend on you to solve their problems.
10. Stock up on band-aids! Inevitably there will be skinned knees and tears so have a first aid kit handy. Teach the kids to report all injuries no matter how little. If you have neighborhood kids over, make sure you have contact numbers for their parents.
And moms, don't forget to refresh yourself. Have someone else watch your kids while you have an afternoon, or even a whole day, once a week, when you can do some self-care for just you. Massage, pedicure, nap, or read a book! Now that sounds like a great recipe for summer sanity! Enjoy!
Sharon Campbell is a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) who owns A New Creation Women’s Clinic. Well versed in Women’s Health, her emphasis is on reproductive and gynecological health. Sharon can be reached at: 293-1117.
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