Some days are longer than others. Of course, they all are made up of 24 hours, but there are days when those hours move oh, so very slowly. Recently, one of our summer days was a long one. Between the hot weather and children who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, it was a crazy day! As I reflected back on the day, I realized that I've learned a few things that help make such days more manageable and even make a few moments enjoyable.
The first key I've learned to surviving a crazy day with preschoolers is to be flexible. On our recent crazy day, I had planned to take my oldest to her dance lesson, then all go out for lunch and to a movie. We were going to come home for the kiddos to rest while I worked out. Then, we were going to go to swim lessons and head home for baths and bed time. Well, we managed dance and swim lessons, but I never worked out, we didn't go out to lunch and we certainly didn't go to a movie. I was disappointed and so were the kids, but knowing when to say when is so important when young children aren't at their best (or even close to it).
The second thing I tend to do when our days get a bit out of control is to go easy on myself. I might use paper plates for dinner and serve peanut butter and jelly. I figure I don't need to add making a fancy dinner to my to-do list when much of the day is spent redirecting and disciplining children. The same can be said about other chores. Do what needs to be done and leave the rest for another day. No matter how hard you work on that laundry, there will still be some there tomorrow.
My third tactic for handling tough days with young children is to read with them. It almost never fails to calm my children when I sit with them on the couch and read a few stories. It's a favorite activity for all of us. Even if it fails to completely bring the children out of their bad moods, at least we have a positive moment to look back on at the end of the day. I also make sure during this time that I cuddle my children. I think it's extra important that they know just how much I love them even when they aren't make good choices, so I make the effort to tell them and show them.
If things are still a bit crazy despite being flexible, taking it easy and spending extra time reading, I find that a change of scenery works wonders. Sometimes it can be as simple as taking the children to play in the basement or in the front yard which are both places they don't get to play as often as they'd like. Other times it means making a quick run to the grocery store or library. Interestingly enough, I've found that if I keep the errand short enough, my children are typically very well behaved despite displaying the opposite behavior at home. I'm not sure why it works and if it's a common thing for most kids, but I do know it works for mine!
Finally, the most important thing I try to do after a really long day is to end on a good note. Of course, on days like this all I want to do is for my kids to go to sleep so I can finally have some peace and quiet or time alone with my husband. However, I've learned that if I want a better chance at the next day being better, we need to end on a good note. This means that I rarely take away the night time routine even if the children are behaving poorly. I might shorten it and read the shortest story I can find and share a Bible verse rather than story, but we still do our routine. Then, and I believe this is critical, I tell my children three things positive that I noticed throughout the day. Believe me, we've had a very few days where it is a stretch, but I've always managed. The smile it puts on their faces is amazing! Walking out of their rooms and glancing back to see their smiles has a way of turning the day around.
Of course, when all else fails, I find that early bed times both for the children and me, make all the difference.
So, if you're like our family and occasionally have really rough days, what do you do to help make the day go more smoothly? I'd love to know!