Stress is unavoidable, but what if we told you that you can control how much stress works its way into your home?
Here are a few tips for a less stressful home where kids and parents alike can flourish.
Decor that soothes and inspires at the same time.
We all sense how color and texture can influence moods. It can be easy to view this in extremes, where color and print are eradicated in favor of blank neutrals and minimalist design.
Consider the space between “loud and busy” and “calm and quiet.” That’s where real life happens.
Kids need the stimulation of, for instance, a friendly animal face printed on their sheets, but softer textures and colors can soothe simultaneously.
You’ll probably find that you’ll benefit, too.
Want to raise a creative child? Buy less stuff.
Creativity is a muscle that you can help your kids strengthen and build early in life.
One of the best ways to begin doing this is by welcoming and answering their questions. Cultivating the patience to respond to, “Why?” with something more than “Because I said so,” can take some time, but you can start spending less money on stuff today.
How does that help? Because creative kids love a project.
Instead of buying a new book, have them make their own book with supplies they have. Let them find new uses for old “junk” such as making a superhero cape out of their old swaddling blankets.
Most of all, experiences that are completely free, such as baking cookies together, taking a walk in nature, or dancing to music, can strengthen motor skills and build confidence as well as inspire creativity.
It’s easy to combat the guilt of feeling like you’re not the Best Parent in the World by taking your kids to the store. But what’s more empowering and developmentally supportive is helping them communicate and act upon new ideas.
Be realistic, but still, keep it clean.
It’s unfair to expect your home to be a showplace 24/7, but mess creates anxiety for you and your little ones. A messy room with a screaming child is the perfect recipe for overwhelm, and eventually, burnout.
Send the little ones off with a family member or partner for a day and do it yourself, or hire a cleaning service. Either way, you need one initial deep clean, with everything organized the way you want it, to catch up.
Once everything is caught up, create your plan to keep it that way. For instance, a schedule where Monday is for cleaning appliances, Tuesday is for dusting, Wednesday is for glass/windows, and so on.
This way, it will take about 30 minutes, maximum, in addition to everyday maintenance tasks. You’ll never feel too far behind.
Speaking of clean, consider the products in your home. If you or anyone in your family has allergies, sensitive skin, or migraines, choose more fragrance-free products, such as natural wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. A home where everyone can breathe easy is always more harmonious.
Mindfulness in all matters.
If we stop and acknowledge what’s happening before reacting, our next steps might be different. Naturally, this means you’re less likely to snap at others, thereby avoiding the guilt or shame that comes afterward.
But if that’s already happened, understand that mindfulness is also about letting go. You can let go of the past and prioritize how you react in this very moment.
One massive benefit of mindful parenting (and life) is that you’re more aware of when it’s time for you to step away. Often, we don’t realize how stretched thin we are. Before we know it, our stress levels have seemingly entered the point of no return.
Make the present a priority, even when the heat isn’t on. Practice daily meditation on your own, or enjoy soothing singing bowl sessions with the kids before nap time.
How do you maintain peace, harmony, and creativity at home? We’d love to hear from you.
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