Ken Myers –

It can be exceptionally hard work being a parent. At times the level of frustration you feel can be almost overwhelming. For a parent with multiple children near the same age group, the complications can easily multiply. However, you need to keep your wits about you for the sake of the children.

There are many methods that can help you keep your mind intact when the children seem to try their hardest to push you to the limit. While not all of these suggestions may work for your particular situation, perhaps they can give you further ideas to develop your own means of keeping yourself calm when children become unruly.

Meditation – One technique that has helped many people is meditation. Essentially, you can do this anywhere whether you’re in the backyard or standing in the shower. It is a way to reduce your blood pressure while clearing your mind of negative thoughts. Regaining your rationality is the ultimate goal while allowing yourself to keep the situation in perspective. It can be quite easy to blow things out of proportion. As there are so many ways to perform meditation, you should find a method that works best for you as not everyone experiences the same results using the same techniques.

Separation Before Anxiety – During a heated argument with your child or when you’re otherwise feeling a great deal of frustration with him or her, take time out away from each other. When emotions get riled up, rational discussion is very rarely present. Instead, you wind up screaming at each other without consideration of what either of you are saying. What could have been a calm debate has turned hurtful and it’s best if you can separate yourselves before things escalate too far. Since rational thought is reduced during this moment, having a spouse or other individual separate you could be ideal.

Physical Activity – One method that many therapists suggest for releasing stress and tension is by doing a strenuous physical activity. This has a dual purpose:

Creates a situation where your energy is being exhausted through other means
Helps create a more calm demeanor as the body begins to pump endorphins

Essentially, any grueling exercise can prove greatly beneficial in order to help you relax after a tense moment. A long run, hitting a punching bag for 20 minutes, a vigorous exercise routine, swimming several laps and other activities can help you release that tension while giving you time to rationally approach the situation.

Deep Breathing Exercises – Not every situation may call for extreme physical exertion. Perhaps your children are running amuck in the middle of the grocery store. Maybe you have a hard time with too much noise in a crowded living room. Breathing exercises can help you relax while providing additional oxygen to the brain. This can help you clear your thoughts and think rationally before snapping at the first person that asks you, “What’s wrong?” Normally, you can feel much different after three long and deep breaths as you feel your muscles relax as the adrenalin supply reduces.

Counting – Another method that can help people relax is counting. Some say that counting backwards from 10 can occupy the mind long enough for your to regain your wits. Why not take it a step further and really give your brain a workout? Try counting to 100 by fours. Why fours? Because it is an uncommon number to use for counting up to 100. The objective takes more of your brain power to calculate numbers you’ve never tried previously.

House Cleaning – Cleaning the house can be as productive as a physical workout. The only difference is, you have a constructive method to help keep you calm. It will have the same effect as vigorous exercise only with an outcome of being able to submit your living room photo to Better Homes and Gardens.

These are only a few ways that you can keep yourself calm when the children grind on your nerves. You need to find the best method for yourself in order to promote a good role model as well as keeping yourself from doing or saying something you’ll truly regret. Don’t let anger and frustration ruin your parenting experience.

Ken Myers is a father, husband, and entrepreneur. He has combined his passion for helping families find in-home care with his experience to build a business. Learn more about him by visiting @KenneyMyers on Twitter.

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