Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Five Minutes

Posted by Tracy Wainwright at 9:35 PM
In motherhood five minutes can often make the biggest difference. It only takes kids about five minutes to destroy a day’s worth of housework. On a really good day I can shower and get dressed in five minutes. Five minutes of spending time in the Bible really helps my day go better. Five minutes in the middle of a child’s temper tantrum can also make a world of difference. For me, and for that child.
There have been days where I lost my temper along with a child throwing a fit or exhibiting direct defiance. There have been days when I’ve had to hang in there for up to 20 or 30 minutes for a tantrum to be over. But for the most part I have found that within five minutes of a tantrum or incidence of defiance it’s over, and the end result is based on my reaction, or ability not to react. If I can hold on for five minutes (forget counting to five), the storm usually passes without any major damage.
When our children lose it, the thing they need most is for us not to. They need the stability of mom to be the calming, reassuring factor in the situation. They haven’t learned yet to temper their reaction (some more so than others) and need us to show them how to be calm. If we can hold on, just five minutes, and be an anchor that keeps them grounded while a storm of emotions is raging through their little body, they will feel safe and secure when it’s all over. Then we can talk to them about whatever the issue is and come to a resolution or consequence.

1 comments on "Five Minutes"

Lynn Carr on August 31, 2009 at 8:13 PM said...

Well Tracy, I wish I had read that about five years ago :) I think I do much better now...but Oh boy, it was a differant story a few years back. I just didn't really know what I was doing. Parenting is not easy. I have more patience now and I stick to my guns more too.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Five Minutes

In motherhood five minutes can often make the biggest difference. It only takes kids about five minutes to destroy a day’s worth of housework. On a really good day I can shower and get dressed in five minutes. Five minutes of spending time in the Bible really helps my day go better. Five minutes in the middle of a child’s temper tantrum can also make a world of difference. For me, and for that child.
There have been days where I lost my temper along with a child throwing a fit or exhibiting direct defiance. There have been days when I’ve had to hang in there for up to 20 or 30 minutes for a tantrum to be over. But for the most part I have found that within five minutes of a tantrum or incidence of defiance it’s over, and the end result is based on my reaction, or ability not to react. If I can hold on for five minutes (forget counting to five), the storm usually passes without any major damage.
When our children lose it, the thing they need most is for us not to. They need the stability of mom to be the calming, reassuring factor in the situation. They haven’t learned yet to temper their reaction (some more so than others) and need us to show them how to be calm. If we can hold on, just five minutes, and be an anchor that keeps them grounded while a storm of emotions is raging through their little body, they will feel safe and secure when it’s all over. Then we can talk to them about whatever the issue is and come to a resolution or consequence.

1 comments:

Lynn Carr said...

Well Tracy, I wish I had read that about five years ago :) I think I do much better now...but Oh boy, it was a differant story a few years back. I just didn't really know what I was doing. Parenting is not easy. I have more patience now and I stick to my guns more too.

 

themommyanswer Copyright © 2009 Paper Girl is Designed by Ipietoon Sponsored by Online Business Journal