Being a millennial mom isn’t easy. On the one hand, you’ve got the stress of changing societal norms to contend with and on the other, you’re balancing the demands of hectic career with your kids’ needs. But as Dr. John Koutsoyiannis says when Mattie and I go to his dental practice for a tooth cleaning or periodontal checkup, your sanity comes first. Speaking of which, that reminds me – it’s almost time for our next quarterly dental visit.
Anyhow, here are a few ways to ensure no matter what’s going on at home or elsewhere—mommy stays grounded.
Learn to say no. It’s difficult to say no. Especially during the younger years where uttering ‘no’ causes baby’s lower lip to poke out, forcing mom to reconsider. However, hold your ground now and thank me later.
Trust me, it may seem cute now but nothing’s more embarrassing than a 10 or 11-year-old who melts down in the middle of the store when you must finally say no.
Remember to nurture. It’s easy to let them play games on the tablet or watch TV but don’t forget, children of all ages need nurturing. It’s just a fact of life that kids require your presence.
So, the next time your little comes in the room to play 20-questions while you’re working on that assignment, indulge away. Doing so is a great way to show your child that you care.
Your child won’t be perfect. No child is perfect, they’re going to make mistakes and there’s nothing you can do about it but accept the facts. It’s easy to remember this fact when your child is a toddler.
However, it’s something parents overlook as their children get older. The good news is that the more mistakes little Johnnie or Suzie makes now the better things will be down the road.
Pick your battles. Not everything your child says or does warrants a response. That’s right – you need not get bent out of shape for every little mix-up your child causes.
Believe me, there will be plenty of major problems your child causes that really do demand your full attention. So, learn to prioritize which issues you will deal sternly with and which behavior you can ignore.
Don’t forget–mommy needs me time too. While it’s important to spend quality time with your child, you also need time for yourself. Even if it’s only 15-minutes alone, spent in meditation or watching your favorite show – it’s important you give yourself that time. Otherwise, when you find yourself in a situation that requires you to be at your best – you may come up empty.
Find your inner cheapskate. Yes, those designer sneakers are so cute on your 9-month-old. But keep in mind, as your child gets bigger clothes will get a lot more expensive. So, if you can set a comfortable pace for yourself early – when it comes to budgeting for your little Jonnie or Suzie’s clothes, you’ll thank yourself later.
Ignore bad advice. This might sound obvious but apparently for some it isn’t. When you’re a new parent, you’ll find folks you didn’t even know coming out of the woodworks to offer different bits of advice as to how you should raise your children.
Learn to get good at separating sound advice from poor counsel. Not all of it is the same. The key thing to consider anytime someone is telling you what’s best for your child is just ‘that’ – you’re talking about your son or daughter. No one knows your children better than you so feel free to take what others say with a grain of salt.
How do you save on children’s clothing you might ask? You can shop at specialty children’s retailers, online, at the thrift store, or at your favorite discount outlet.
We didn’t cover every topic under the sun, so far as raising children as a millennial mother. But hopefully, this advice helps restore some small sense of balance in your life.