I recently read another post saying how the best advice ever given to her was when children are having a bad day, moment, or whatever it is, either put them in the bath or take them outside.
Sure, that’s the shortened version of it but you get the gist.
It’s from a Facebook post on The Motherhood Project. Check it out here!
I would have to 100% agree with this advice and wish it was given to me when my son was an infant because I whole heartedly agree with that right in this moment and this week. If I had tried one of those two options when we had those “bad” nights as an infant, I would only dream that they had worked.
You’re not only distracting them from the moment they’re in, but you’re providing them an outlet to relax and melt those feelings they’re having.
Add in the winter we had here in Pennsylvania, and you’ll know the time outside is necessary for all of us to melt away any of those cabin fever and seasonal depression feelings.
My son is an outdoor kid through and through. He cries when we come inside no matter how long we have been outside. He doesn’t care if he’s tired, he wants to remain outside being a boy! Winter didn’t stop us from going outside, it only slowed us down from being out as much as we would like because someone didn’t keep his gloves on.
Recently, he has developed more of his moments of independence and proving he wants what he wants when he wants it. The attitude is there and while I know and admit it’s because of being inside a lot, and from his mother’s attitude, the weather broke here and WOW.
He continually goes to the door and exclaims, “shoes!!” letting us know he wants to go outside and play. This morning specifically, he was an angry elf no matter what we did. We had breakfast, played in the back room, offered a bath, offered to help make breakfast, not one of those options were what he wanted.
I mentioned a family walk and his eyes lit up. He ran to grab his boots and I hear, “shoes!” So we got him ready and went to the driveway first.
I kid you not, this boy shook with excitement when we got the chalk out. He would spend all day in the driveway as long as we have a few items for him to tinker with.
It isn’t much but he is outside the four walls of our home that he knows every nook and cranny of. The fresh air feels so good for all of us. He and his dad did venture off of our family walk to go shed hunting before the rain hits here.
What I’m saying is GO OUTSIDE! You don’t need to be an outdoor person to enjoy this spring weather. Go in your back yard, take a walk in the neighborhood, eat lunch together in your driveway. I don’t care what you do but enjoy the weather together and watch all of the feelings we all have from whatever is going on melt away.
Two Cents Worth of Mom Life 