Mommy Meltdown Moments

Every day without fail my 3 year old son has a meltdown of sorts. The largeness of the meltdown depends on him having taken a nap at nap time. Just today, he had a meltdown moment in the car when I told him we could not eat at the McDonald's in the Wal-Mart but we were going to go to the other. Straight volcano of tears erupted from his eyeballs. He decided to have noodle legs as we walked from the store to our vehicle. After arriving home, we sat down and ate our dinner. I thought the coast was clear but then 10 minutes into our meal, he decides to have a crying fit because they forgot pickles on his hamburger. (As you may have guessed by now, no nap at school during nap time.) Needless to say, I got him to watch his new Mario Brothers movie in his room. He fell asleep on my lap after the movie was over. Bedtime came early like I knew it would. I was drained by the end of his day and in tears my own self. I wanted to have a meltdown myself but had to keep it together. I was going to call a mommy sister-friend in OHIO but was too exhausted to talk. So I just cried. I just felt like a terrible mother.

How many Mommies out there have meltdown moments? How many actually allow yourself to have one? I can raise my hands a few times to neither question. I don't. I don't allow myself to have a major meltdown like my 3 year old, like my then 10 year old step daughter. It's something about children who don't feel the need to have a meltdown on you because they're tired or moody, or hormonal or just downright mad because they didn't get their way. They take the liberty to fall don on the ground and kick and scream. They don't ask permission to refuse to obey the simplest of request or command. They just do want they want and have a meltdown moment.

But Mommies, what about our meltdown moment? When do we get to just throw a tantrum because we are not being respected or heard? When do we get to just stop making the world go 'round for our precious seeds? We don't. We can't. We have a responsibility to nurture and care (and for some of us, a lot of us) and provide and protect our children. We do not have the right to take our anger out on our children violently. So that means our meltdowns have to come in another form of release.

Mommy Meltdown Moment (CPS approved, or at least not in violation of correct child rearing):

-get a babysitter or a mommy's helper for an hour or two
-remove yourself from the situation and take a bath or a shower (if they are of proper age to be left alone without supervision)
-just stare at them while they are having a meltdown and think of a calm location you can actually see yourself visiting. TDisclaimer: this is not suggesting you to check out mentally; it is a fun version of what many therapist suggest one do when they need to diffuse their anger, i.e. Count to ten, breathe in and out for 10 seconds, etc.)

Please feel free to add more ways mothers can release (violent free) in the moment the pressure or frustration raising children can bring.

Blessings from one Mommy to another,
Aurellia