5 easy tips to improve a bad mama day

Some days are so rough as a mama – the kids are sick, the laundry pile seems to double every hour, the bathrooms are a disaster, you feel like all you have been doing is yelling and you haven’t showered in days. I had to come up with 5 easy tips to improve a bad mama day – because there is hope. You can turn your day around. 

Get over the fact that you are not going to make every meal perfectly gluten-free and homemade. (Just make a big batch of healthy pancakes and you will be all set!) Somedays, the kids are going to eat graham crackers for dinner. Somedays, the kids are going to watch way too much TV because you need to clean out your closets and wash your refrigerator shelves because you have something growing in the back. It’s OK. The kids will be fine and you, tired mama, will feel much better because something actually got accomplished.
Motherhood is give and take. Somedays, I say YES to glitter crafts in the playroom and somedays, I say NO and all I can give is a TV show while I sneak chocolate chips in the kitchen. It’s OK.

Somedays, I skip letting my girls play outside because the thought of being in the cold makes me physically ill. Instead, we jump right to hot chocolate and a movie. It’s OK.
Somedays just stink. Somedays you want to be back in college where your only responsibilities are passing tests and hosting sorority parties. Somedays you wonder why you became a mama. #truth
Yet, you know that these days will pass. God willing. You know that you love your kids more than you love yourself. You pray that fevers will go away. You know that the laundry will get done – eventually. You know that your kids will remember you being happy and having fun in the house making hot chocolate and watching Frozen for the 12 millionth time. They won’t remember that mom was too lazy to play in the snow. It’s all good. Bad days don’t have to written off as “bad days.”
These days can get better. They can turn around. Have faith. Keep mothering along.

Here are my 5 easy tips to improve a bad mama day:

1. Make something homemade – I feel better if I cook something for my kids even during our hardest days. Having a meal plan that I stick to 90% of the time makes life so much easier. Giving the kids real food makes me feel like I am doing something right – even if they are eating it in front of the TV! Make a gift basket for a new neighbor. Do something crafty even if it is glueing popsicles together. It really doesn’t matter what it is. Creativity just makes you feel better. Pick what makes you feel good about your role as mom. Try to do that one thing on your toughest days. You will feel better. Promise.
2. Put music on in the house – Music makes everyone in my house instantly in a better mood. I am old school and still buy CDs so I occasionally pick up a new one during our Target trips. New music is so good for the soul. Dance around the living room with your littles. Even 10 minutes will help you feel better about yourself. Put on some old school Dave Matthews or Justin Timberlake and sing as loud as you can while you make dinner. Stress management to the max. Heck, it’s better than drinking wine at 10 AM, right?
3. Get outside – Even in the coldest weather, 10 minutes outside clears your head and helps you feel better. This one is hard for me because I hate the cold but I know that fresh air is good for the soul. Getting out of the house does wonders. Changing the environment for the kids (and you!) always makes things better.
4. Talk to a friend – Knowing that you are not the only one dealing with a cranky toddler, a teething baby and a hubby that is stressed about work, helps with not feeling alone. You are SO not alone. In the world of social media, it’s easy to forget about calling your dearest friends. Call them. It will mean the world. Even better, get outside and stop over at their house and bring coffee and cinnamon rolls. They will remember it always and so will you. Don’t text. Don’t Facebook message. Call or see them in person.
5. Schedule time for yourself – Self care is so important, mamas. A few nights a week I try to take a hot bath after the girls go to bed. Self care is not going to happen unless you make it happen. Make yourself a priority.

These days will come and go. Always remember that your kids love you and think you are totally awesome. Just keep going.
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