



via One goal I've really been wanting to work on the last few months is to be more patient with my children. Not that their bad kids, because they're not. I actually consider myself to be really lucky in that regard because for the most part, my kids are really mellow. The worst times for me though are right when I wake up in the morning, and right before Derek gets home from work. In the morning I'm just waking up, I'm hungry, and I need to get the kids changed, fed, and clean up messes from last night before I feed myself, and get myself going for the day. Then again around 5pm, it's that time of day when I'm just waiting for Derek to get home, the kids are cranky because bedtime is near, I'm starting to get a headache, and most days, I'm just really tired by the time five o'clock hits. Luckily, I've learned a few new tactics the last few weeks that have made these times during the day a lot easier on me.



1. Eat a Good Breakfast, First Thing: I used to get the kids fed, cleaned, and changed for the day, and then clean the entire house, and then get myself breakfast around noon. I learned that this isn't really good for anyone because it just means I'm hangry and tired all morning, and it means I'm more than likely to be cranky toward my kids. Now that Em can self feed a lot better now, I've been sitting down to have a healthy breakfast while the kids eat too, and it's been amazing to eat at 8am instead of noon. Everyone is a lot happier when I've had my breakfast. I used to get the kids fed, cleaned, and changed for the day, and then clean the entire house, and then get myself breakfast around noon. I learned that this isn't really good for anyone because it just means I'm hangry and tired all morning, and it means I'm more than likely to be cranky toward my kids. Now that Em can self feed a lot better now, I've been sitting down to have a healthy breakfast while the kids eat too, and it's been amazing to eat at 8am instead of noon. Everyone is a lot happier when I've had my breakfast.





2. Know When You Need a Time Out: I've learned that sometimes its better for me to just take a timeout instead of yelling at my kids. When I feel overwhelmed and exhausted, I usually put Em in her crib with a couple toys, and tell Jay to play in the living room for a couple minutes while I go lay down. He's usually pretty content and I get 10-15 minutes to just close my eyes and relax for a minute. Afterwards, everyone is usually in a lot better mood.





3. Get Fresh Air: I know in a lot of places, getting fresh air is hard in the winter. Luckily in Georgia, it's still warm enough to go out on walks in the late afternoon. When we've spent a week straight in the house, we all feel a lot better after getting some cool air into our lungs and getting our bodies moving with a walk.





4. Read a Book: This one is probably most effective when the kids are asleep. This year I'm trying to read lots and lots of books, and the only way to do this is to unplug from electronics. I've loved being able to have an hour each night to just unwind in bed with a good book before going to sleep.





5. Natrol 5- HTP: When all else fails, and you can't lay in bed, read a book, go on a walk, you can take a 100mg fast dissolve Natrol 5-HTP tablet. They're a plant derived mood enhancement supplement that stimulates calmness throughout the body by naturally increasing serotonin levels. So when you need calmness, and you need it now, these safe supplements are a great thing to reach for when all else fails. They dissolve in your mouth without water so you can take one anytime, anywhere. I find they're the perfect little boost I need every once in a while when I need a little extra pep in my step to make it those last 15 minutes before Derek gets home.





Because I want you to have a great start to your new year, and to add a little calmness to your life, I'm self hosting a $50 paypal cash giveaway. Giveaway runs now through Feb 2, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. Enter using the rafflecopter below. Winner will be announced one week after the giveaway end date via twitter.



