We hear a lot about mental health and how important it is to prioritize self-care, especially as a mom. Moms are burned out. We’re stressed. We’re not used to parenting in a pandemic without a village of support. The thing is, though, we moms have even more pressure on us because our mental health really affects the entire household’s health. When we’re cranky, everyone in the entire house gets cranky.
When we're in a bad mood it makes things so much worse
Our kids reflect our mannerisms, tones, and moods. While they’re little, many of them are cute. But then, as they get older, more of our ugly habits start making it into their personalities too. In my house, my snarky and sarcastic comments started being thrown back at me — and my not-so-stellar moods.
It’s hard not to be cranky back when someone is grumpy toward you. I've noticed that I get into it with both of my kids, and when I’m cranky toward them, they start acting snarky too. And when they start it, it sours my mood. I tend to push back more when I’m in a bad mood, which doesn’t help anyone. It just makes things worse. It can be so hard to be the adult all of the time, but I realize that at times I’m just teaching them bad behaviors.
This is why it’s so important for us to take breaks *before* we break
Personally, taking time for myself to pursue things outside of motherhood is essential in keeping my mood even. Well, that, and food. I tend to get hangry, which unfortunately has also been passed down to my kids. When I get enough food, time to write, or even the time to take a long shower, I just feel better. It can be hard to break the cycle of cranky, but it is up to me. My kids can’t do it.
It's much easier to try to avoid the bad mood than to dig myself out of one
When I'm exhausted and cranky, I'm not a nice mom, and I hate that. I don’t want to be mean to my kids. It teaches them to be mean to me.
It's becoming more and more obvious that the key to keeping the household happy lies in keeping myself happy. I know that's easier said than done, but I'm committed to trying this year — and you should, too. As moms, we take on so much that the thought of actually carving out time for ourselves is guilt-inducing. But when we reframe it to know that balancing our own lives actually creates happier kids and a happier family, it becomes worth it. And trust me, you're worth it, too.
