Parenting is supposed to be fun, right? After all, one of the biggest reasons people choose to have children is because we want a little human we can love and relive the silly and fun parts of life with. However, sometimes parenting can be complicated, stressful, and – you guessed it – exhausting.
There will be times when we find ourselves nagging more and laughing less. If you’re wanting to reboot and lighten up a bit, here are a few pointers that might be useful.
We chat with Dr Mercola, founder of one of the most visited health sites on the Internet, mercola.com, on ways you can enjoy the parenting experience.
The magic of laughter
At least once a day, make your child helpless with laughter. Humour and laughter help to diffuse stress, making it a critical part of child development. Laughter and humour also build resilience, so children are better able to adapt to adversity, stress, trauma, tragedy, and threats.
Sing in the morning
It’s hard to sing and to maintain a grouchy mood, and it sets a happy tone for everyone. Singing is a natural antidepressant. According to information published in Time magazine, singing may release endorphins associated with feelings of pleasure as well as stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone that is found to alleviate anxiety and stress.
Get enough sleep
It’s so tempting to stay up late and enjoy the peace and quiet after your child goes to bed. However, most young kids are early birds and will want you up and about when they get out of bed. Try to get at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep at night.
If your toddler is napping in the daytime, try to have one yourself. The National Sleep Foundation says that “a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help to improve mood, alertness, and performance.”
Get organised
Avoid bad mood days by being more organised. Getting organised can reduce your stress levels ten-fold and result in a calmer parenting approach.
Use positive words
Most messages to kids are negative: “stop”, “don’t”, “no” are common words many parents use, many times a day. Try to speak to your children using more positive words such as “yes”, “for sure”, “of course”.
