Often my time reading these days is spent on online articles on parenting. Several months ago, a friend of mine with a child 4 months older than my guy mentioned an idea that stuck with me. I keep trying to remember, “He’s not giving me a hard time, he’s HAVING a hard time.”
I’ve been able to remember that during some of the more recent (hourly) battles of wills with my almost-three-year-old. That small shift in perspective on my part makes a difference in my stress level, my empathy for him, and ultimately how I respond to him.
The parenting class we teach here focuses on preserving the relationship between parents and their children. This small shift has helped me keep that end in mind – even when my child is melting down for the 3rd time in 20 minutes because I won’t let him eat only fruit for lunch.
I’ve mentioned that phrase to many other moms, because it has been such a game changer for me. This morning, a friend of mine tagged me in this article. I’d recommend it to any parents of young children.