Episode 171: A Quick Fix for Post- Holiday Chaos
In this Episode You’ll Find
Chances are....
You overspent your December budget...
You had kids who weren't grateful for what they got...
You overcompensated by eating some of your feelings...
You worked hard to cultivate moments and memories just to watch kids argue or cry...
Maybe you just want to not anymore...it's okay, you don't have to hold back with us...you can even cry a little.
We're not JUST here to lament with you though... let's talk about finding a groove again after experiencing The holiday trauma...can we call it that?
I feel like we can...
Chances are everyone is hungry right now...for routine
But also wanting to stay on break...
This looks a lot like....everyone is off...attitudes have big fluctuations...people are unreasonable...kids are bickering over ridiculous things...it feels stressful when anyone asks you a question or tells you about something new.
How to Come Back (02:30)
The answer is simple.
Choosing the anchors that mean the most to YOUR family. Anchors are the things that happen consistently without you being a consistent person.
In Britt’s house, this would be meals, naps, wake-ups, and bedtimes.
This was one of the big things that made their family trip run so much more smoothly, they stuck to bedtimes and eating routines (even as they were crossing time zones).
Finding a routine and staying consistent with anchors will allow you to get back into a groove.
Kids aren’t going to notice themselves being emotional and ask for a routine, but we are the adults, and we can pay attention and get everyone back on the right track.
If you notice that after allowing a child to stay up too late that they woke up as a teenager instead of a human, you might need to adjust and stick to a different bedtime.
Your anchors might be entirely different than ours, but you KNOW your family. Maybe it’s family prayer, or a morning routine. Taking the time to understand what might be “off” and what to work on…hint…start with anchors.
Meals and Bedtimes as Anchors (06:10)
In Britt’s house, breakfast usually happens before 8:00am. Lunch is between 11:00am and noon. Then dinner can happen between 4:00pm and 6:00pm (depending on which child is cooking). These times are consistent, even during travel.
Each night, by 10:00pm, the house shuts down. Kids’ bedtimes are all before 9:30pm even during breaks.
Knowing that teens LOVE to talk late into the night, Britt & her husband keep the 9:30-10:00pm spot open for older kids to wander in and chat.
As far as wake-ups go, even if a child is up way late the night before, there is a limit to how long you want to let them sleep in (Britt usually gets them up by 9:00am).
Anchors aren’t rules or boundaries, and it’s important to choose one or two to work on at a time. Put on your scientist hat, and make it an experiment.
Start small, and start today!
Share this episode with a friend who's also losing her ever-loving mind right now too! Everything is better with an accountability partner!
....Never forget...you are doing beautiful work.
