How to Stop Meltdowns (and I’m not talking about the kids)
Parents, you love your kids more than anything but you also know first-hand how they can test your patience! And honestly, I know that sometimes you aren’t proud of how you react. Being cooped up during this time of uncertainty can add to the load and you may be finding you’re more quick to snap.
I’m here to help give you some simple strategies to avoid reacting poorly to stress respond in a way that feels positive for everyone involved.
Children naturally want to please adults. They want to make good choices and receive praise, just as adults appreciate acknowledgement for a job well done. When a child is testing an adult’s patience, this typically comes from a place of need rather than malintent. When a basic need must be met, behaviour goes off the charts- we’ve all seen it! From sleep-deprived temper tantrums to anxious tendencies when a meal or snack is delayed, your kids are constantly telling you what they need through changes in their baseline behaviour. Parents, you are the experts of your kid’s health because you have the superpower of reading any slight change in baseline behaviour before it turns to chaos.
But, are you monitoring your own baseline throughout the day? Probably not.
If your child was exhausted and crying, would you ask them to do chores or would you tuck them in to bed? If they were feeling anxious, would you tell them to ignore it and push through or would you comfort them and try to solve the problem? My guess is you would choose the latter in these scenarios. Your kids are constantly watching how you respond to their needs, but also to your own; this is how they learn to care for themselves.
My question for you is, do you treat yourself with the same gentle respect that you treat your child?
Self-parenting is nurturing yourself the way you would nurture a child: with gentle, loving and patient support. The same way you are constantly anticipating the needs of your child before overwhelm arises, it is important to give yourself the time and self-love to do this for yourself too. In doing so, you can prevent anxiety from creeping in and causing you to have that “Eat Pray Love” moment…you all know what I’m talking about.
SO let’s talk about ONE basic need to focus on and anticipate so that you can support your response to stress like a pro! You’ll be handling situations in a way that you are proud of in no time by following these simple strategies ALL to do with….
BALANCING BLOOD SUGAR
Parents, I am always reminding you that just because you are raising children doesn’t mean you lost the fundamental need to eat! You are so busy making sure everyone else is fed and happy that you find yourself skipping meals and eating what your kids leave behind on their plates. This leaves you anxious, overwhelmed and run off your feet.
The big 4 factors I see that contribute to being on a blood-sugar roller coaster are:
Coffee
Skipping meals
Snacking on high-sugar snacks and foods to compensate
Lack of sleep (6 hours is NOT enough, people)
When blood sugar is on a roller-coaster, you will experience emotional and physical highs & lows all day. This leads to cravings for high-sugar foods including breads, crackers, pasta, cookies and treats. Low blood sugar causes irritability, anxiety and even physical symptoms like shakes, headaches and fatigue.
Now, no-one could respond at their best (especially to a screaming child) with all of that going on in their system! Here are some easy & actionable tips to balance blood-sugar that will have BIG impact on how you respond to daily stressors:
Add Protein & Shrooms to your Coffee
I’m not going to ask you to quit the liquid gold, don’t worry. Coffee does cause a surge of stress hormones & insulin but it can be blunted by adding protein! Even better, add some medicinal mushrooms, shown to help support the nervous system and overall body balance.
Try these fun options:
Grass-fed/Organic collagen is wonderful and very health supportive. I like Great Lakes Collagen
Full-fat non-homogenized cream is great too if you are not sensitive
You might also consider the addition of adaptogenic herbs (herbs that help you adapt to stress) to your morning brew! I like Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee
Eat Every 2.5-3 Hours:
I’m not big on intermittent fasting that lasts longer than a typical 12-hour overnight period. If you are a female in your child-bearing years, any longer than that and you could be doing some hormonal damage.
Never skip breakfast & eat regular healthy snacks with vitamins/minerals, fats & protein to help you feel much more level-headed all day long.
I like: dates with almond butter, hummus on veggie sticks, guacamole on plantain chips, homemade low-sugar baked goods etc.
Meal Prep:
I know, it sounds so simple. But incase you need this reminder, here it is…meal planning & prep will save you time, energy and unnecessary weekday stress!
In my house, I roast 1-2 kinds of Organic meat on the weekends to use for lunches throughout the week. I also will make a few kinds of vegetables and gluten-free grains to have on hand. These combinations can be mix-matched all week long to ensure there is ready-made food to keep you fuelled and ready to deal with…well…kid stuff.
Have trouble with this? I can help! Check out my custom meal planning services! I have lots of tools in my kit to help you prep delicious and nourishing food even with limited access to your normal goods (COVID-19). I even make meal plans JUST for kids to help them with kitchen independence!
Make Quality Sleep a Priority:
We tend to have high expectations of the body’s ability to turn-off and sleep without effort, when this just isn’t the case..
In earlier times, humans slept in dark, cold environments and didn’t have the stimulation of modern-day society.
In order to sleep well, try these steps:
avoid technology and artificial light 30-60 minutes before bed. Use this time to shower, read, stretch.
Turn down the thermostat so that you fall asleep in a cool room.
Unplug any electronics in the bedroom (as the waves emitted interfere with sleep rhythms).
Having a ritual that includes wind-down time and avoidance of stimulation can be incredibly helpful to regulate your entire stress-response, balance blood-sugar the next day and help you respond better to stress.
These simple strategies, when followed closely, can have BIG impact! During a time where many things feel out of our control, these are simple steps you can take to take back some control of your own health and how you respond to stressors of every-day life.
Did this help you? Is there other information you would like to hear from me? Leave me a comment below!
Disclaimer: the information in this post is not to be taken as medical advice and should not replace the care of a qualified medical physician.
*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this post at the time of publishing.