Does raising your child with ADHD make you feel burnt out by Lunchtime?
You guys! I’m tired! By 1:00 in the afternoon, I’m checking to see if it’s martini time. (Not gonna lie…I’ve definitely had my 1:00 martini days!) Raising a kiddo with ADHDis nothing short of challenging. Kudos to those Mom’s who’ve got it together (please share your secret!) but I am a frazzled Momma by lunchtime! (Okay…I won’t exaggerate. Most mornings, getting through breakfast is a fiasco.) And, if it was difficult before, quarantining through COVID-19 is double the exhaustion….maybe even triple!
John Gottman Emotion Coaching
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My son’s ADHD is heavily led by anxiety which causes sudden, unexpected, and extreme spikes in his emotions. Practicing John Gottman’s emotion coaching to assist him with recognizing his emotions and executing self-soothing skills during an emotional spike, helps him acknowledge what he is feeling. Regulating emotions does not come easy for a kiddo with ADHD. While assisting him throughout the day is essential to raise my boy to be a strong, emotionally grounded man, it does drain my own emotional and energy bucket.
Whether it’s taking a moment (or five!) during the day to step away or practicing self-care after the kiddos are asleep, I absolutely have to remember to take time for me, (guilt-free!) to ensure I fill my own emotional bucket back up. Here are a few things I do to take care of myself:
5 New Self-Care Strategies for You!
Diffuse my favorite essential oils
Lemongrass and peppermint with lavender are so fresh and light. This mixture can be found in my diffuser every day.
✨ BONUS: Bugs don’t like peppermint or lemongrass so it also keeps them away which a HUGE bonus for Bug-a-Phobic girl like me!)
Rock Out!
My guilty pleasure is 80’s glam rock. Yup! Good ol’ hair metal. You name the band…Bon Jovi, Poison, Def Leppard, (YES, I have my Stadium Tour tickets for 2021!) I love ’em all! I’ll excuse myself from the chaos for a few minutes and indulge in blasting my favorite playlist and jam out with some air guitar. (YES….this works!) Sometimes, I’ll even hop in the car to take a drive and blast my tunes.
Watch R Rated Movies
No, not with the kids! When the kiddos go to sleep (finally!), my man and I love to watch non-kid friendly movies! After all the Hannah Montana episodes and Fortnite battles, this Momma needs some rated-R action or thriller flick! I’ll settle for a Bruce Willis or Kevin Bacon movie anytime!
Martini Time!
That’s right…pour me an ice-cold, dry Tito’s martini (or 3??), and I will be blissfully happy. My man and I escape with a solid ‘Cheers!’ and enjoy lovely adult conversation (again…FINALLY!)…or that Rated R movie while sharing the events of our day.
True Crime Podcasts
Yes, I am OBSESSED! Who’s with me? I know this is rather gruesome but, it truly does allow me a few minutes of escaping my own reality for a short time, while I pop my headphones in and listen (in shock!) to the stories. It’s perfect while I make dinner or during shower time (although, I do get a little freaked out!) Forensic science and psychology have always been a fascination of mine and hearing these stories is a quick escape during the day. My favorites are True Crime Obsessed, Crime Junkie, and Analysis by Dr. Phil. Give them a listen and let me know what you think!
End of the Day Chillax Time for Me!
After the cuddliest snuggles from my sweet, energetic boy and wishing him lovely dreams after a long day, I happily scoot off to the kitchen for a quarantine date with my love and refill my energy to give back to being the best Momma I can to my son.
What other outside the box self-care ideas do you Mommas have? Share this post or leave a comment below!
