5 Ways to Overcome Parenting Obstacles When Life’s Got You Down

When life’s got you down, successful parenting can be challenging. Switch your mindset with these five easy approaches and quickly return to a positive place.

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Here are five positive tips to overcome parenting obstacles when life has you feeling down.

Tip 1: Accept and Let Go of Things You Can’t Control

One of the greatest gifts I’ve ever given to myself is to let go of things I have absolutely no control over.

You might consider making a list of everything you don’t have control over. These are the things you can stop worrying about. For example, Fretting over whether your child will not get as good a role in the school play as your neighbor’s child is stealing your energy. Instead, shift your thoughts to how proud you will be of her when she’s on stage, crushing it in the role she landed.

Continue listing items that weigh you down, then either rip the list up, burn it, or visualize handing those items over to your Higher Power.

Next, focus on what you can control, like taking better care of your health or reacting to others who aggravate you. Turn the focus around to something that you can change.

Tip 2: Limit Negative Influences

When life isn’t going your way, try to spend as little time as possible around the Eeyores (from Winnie-the-Pooh books) of the world. Those are the people who always find fault with anything and everything. (You know who they are!) These individuals are not supportive or reliable and don’t have your best interest at heart.

Limit these negative influences and, instead, surround yourself with people who are joyful, appreciative, and celebrate you—just because.

Tip 3: Practice Gratitude, No Matter How Difficult Parenting Can Be

Gratitude is a tricky concept. Most of us know that we should express gratitude for the major things in life, like having a roof over our heads, having food on the table each day, and having healthy children. Then, there are the simple things, like appreciating the big tree in the backyard that our kids can climb, having a lake or ocean nearby to swim in on a hot summer’s day, and even having access to a washer and dryer. When all is right in our world, it’s easy to focus on the good, but the challenge is maintaining that focus when things are not going so well.

Set up a habit of recognizing gratitude in your daily life, whether by keeping a handwritten gratitude journal or an online blog with a free site, such as Penzu, of all you are thankful for. Let others know you are grateful for what they do for you or your family, no matter how small. Building gratitude takes practice, but when done regularly, it is a habit that will enhance your happiness.

Tip 4: Refuel Your Tank

Today’s kids live very full and scheduled lives, but it’s also important to realize that we all need downtime on a regular basis to recharge our batteries.

Get into the habit of incorporating “time for self” every week for all family members. Let your children see you lying on the couch, reading, or working on hobbies. Take walks on the beach or in the park together.

When our kids and other family see us creating regular “Me Time,” it teaches them that it is not selfish to step away from our harried schedules to refuel our tanks, but rather that it’s vital to our overall healthy well-being.

Tip 5: Remember This Mantra “This Too Shall Pass”

When you’re in a crisis, it’s hard to see how things will improve. One of my favorite mantras to repeat in all my years of parenting is “This Too Shall Pass.”

When the going gets tough, and you don’t think you can survive for another minute, repeat it to yourself in the way of a little pep talk so you can move forward with hope rather than doom and gloom.

If this mantra doesn’t float your boat, choose one that does.

The Outcome

A better day for you and your entire family. Job well done!

How do you get back on track when you’re having a bad day? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.