How to Handle Your Kids When You’re Tired

How to Handle Your Kids When Youre Tired

If you’re raising kids, you’re tired. The endless nights without sleep wear on your body, depriving you of energy and sapping your strength. You wonder why on earth you signed up for this parenting gig anyway. There’s more to this parenting thing than you ever imagined and all you really want is a nap. And maybe some chocolate.

Your boobs are not your own anymore and besides that, they hurt like the dickens from breastfeeding. Your yoga pants and tank top are your daily duds and you wear them to bed, to wake, and to town. You shower twice a week and you’re lucky if dinner is homemade. You declare pajama day for the kids every day because the laundry is never finished and you are too tired to switch it over. As long as the clothes aren’t crusty, they’re alright. You go to the store for milk and eggs and come home with cereal and cookies because you forgot your list on the kitchen counter.

It gets better, mama.

I’ve been there. I’m still there. Every mom with kids at home is right there with you. Tired.

Here are 5 Ways to Handle Your Kids When You’re Tired:

  1. Ignore them. Specifically, ignore any fighting and whining because when you’re tired, this is the match that causes an explosion, and we don’t want any blow-ups with the kiddos.
  2. Call them to the couch. I love a good “sick day,” cuddling on the couch reading books galore to the kids. They’ll love the attention and you’ll love the excuse to sit still.
  3. Use a rockin’ faux accent. The last thing I feel like doing when I’m tired is playing with the kids but a semi-attempt at a light mood results in ultimate hilarity in our home. Not bragging or anything, but I’m pretty sure I’ve mastered the British, Australian, Indian, and German accents. (Thank you, YouTube).
  4. Take a nap with your kids. Cuddle up next to them and sleep after lunch. You’ll get rest but be close enough to sense them stirring if they wake before you.
  5. Skip the chores. The kids are more important so focus on them. Give them fun, safe ingredients to make a mess outside with, and you can kick back and relax in a nearby chair, snapping a few pics of this memory making.

You probably won’t always be energetic while raising children, but you can get a great start on it just by going to bed an hour earlier than you do now. I used to stay up late, claiming I couldn’t sleep until the house was clean and everything was in its rightful place. Within 10 minutes the next morning, the house was destroyed and my work was wasted. The late nights contributed to my exhaustion and I’ve learned to let it go and set an earlier bedtime. It works.

In this stage of exhaustion, remember, it’s just for a season so enjoy it while you can. Make the best memories you can with your children and take naps when you can. I’d love to know how you handle your kids when you’re tired, so comment below, and share this post with another tired mama.

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