Sometimes as parents and especially as homeschooling parents, there are times when we have had to deal with a couple of very cranky children. As much as I love being a stay at home mom, I am able to say that when the days are all blended together by cries and screams followed by class five temper tantrums, life gets to be a little too much for everybody. So, I tried to come up with some way to get my kids to chill out! And I thought that I could share them here with you.
1. Get Outside
If you’re like us and you happen to like somewhere where the air actually hurts your face at this time of year, I understand why this might not be on the top of your list. Although I can speak from experience that even when we have to bundle our children up in tons of layers we have a much happier pair when they come back inside. We tend to lean on our nature books for ideas when these times come because I’m emotionally drained by this point and just need ideas!
2. Don’t Allow Too Much TV
I, among many moms, am guilty of this. When my kids are acting like some unholy force of evil has overcome there body and turned their cute loving faces into crying machines I like nothing more than to flip on the TV and let them watch it all day long if that’s what keeps them away from me while crying. This isn’t always the best thing. Firstly because watching a screen allows your brain to go into rest mode but not fully turn off, so if your kid is grumpy because they are just overtired this isn’t going to help the matter. Secondly, overstimulating an already overwhelmed brain can lead to more crying later when you inevitably have to turn the device off.
3. Art
This might seem overly simple, but let your children get messy and express their feelings in a healthy and safe way. Sometimes slashing paint all over a page of the blank paper is enough to calm grumpy kids down. We tend to flock to child lead painting projects, but we keep our art supplies stocked so theirs always an option!
4. They Aren’t Too Old For Naps
No matter how old your child is, they are never too old for a nap. Nothing is wrong with just taking a break from life and having a little snooze. It’s actually proven that taking naps crying the day can make a person more productive because it allows the brain to have a break.
5. Check Yourself
This is a huge one that I honestly forget all the time. Children feed off of their parents’ actions, so if you’re overly stressed, cranky, and constantly going crazy then chances are you’re kids are getting their craziness from you. I’m not saying that passing things onto your kids is a bad thing, but I personally don’t want my children to end up as nuts as myself so I’m going to try cutting back of the crazy. At least in front of them, that is!
I think I need to get outside more often in the Fall and winter. My kids can get very cranky during the winter . We have done all of the rest and I agree they really do work to combat their cranky behavior!!
It’s honestly amazing how much time outside can change things! I was pretty skeptical at first, especially because I thought it was cutting into our “school” time, but the change I see is 100% worth it! I know it can be hard when it gets cold but the kids don’t mind bundling up!