Frustrated With Children? Here's a Few Tips!

By Randi Morse

I love my children, but no matter how much I adore them, there are definitely days when I get extremely frustrated with them. And it doesn't seem to matter which age range they're at, there are always times when I get irritated with my children, just as I'm sure they often get irritated with me. Keeping your calm as a parent is important, and there are a number of approaches that you can take which will enable you to keep that calm even when you feel like you're going to completely lose your cool. 

Being the Grown-Up

I had my first child when I was 21 years old, and even though you're supposed to be an adult at that age, I definitely felt like an adolescent! No matter what age you are, children can fluster you and make you feel like a child yourself. Remind yourself that you're the adult in the situation. 

Count to 10

I always thought that the old "counting to 10" technique was silly, and then I tried it. Giving yourself that 10 seconds to calm down helps you to avoid saying, or doing, something that you'll regret later. It helps to close your eyes and take a deep breath before you start counting. A long, slow count to 10 will help lower your blood pressure and cool your frustration. 

Find the Funny

It's easy to get embarrassed when your toddler is having a temper tantrum in the middle of a grocery store, and that embarrassment may lead you to lash out in anger. Before you get frustrated, try to find the funny instead. The sight of your toddler having a full-blown meltdown can be pretty silly, and while you shouldn't laugh at them outright, you can take a mental snapshot so that when they're grown, you can regale them with the story about the gigantic tantrum they had when they were 3.

Find Support

Above all else, find some support! You can always find other parents who have gone through what you're going through, or even those who are currently experiencing the same things. Finding support builds solidarity and helps you to know that you're not alone, that there are others who are going through the very same thing that you're going through. That, alone, can help you to keep your cool when you may feel like exploding from frustration.

To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Phoenix, Ariz.