Got The Poor Mama Blues? You Need To Do These 10 Things

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Tired of the whining? Tired of dealing with disobedience? Tired of getting up at night? Tired of mess after mess? Tired of dressing them, feeding them, wiping noses…and bottoms?

Tired? That’s normal. It happens. Even to the best mamas. So what do you do with these feelings? These frustrations? You can’t hide. You can’t change your name. You can’t run away. So what’s a mama to do?

The middle of winter is when it usually hit me. Cabin fever sets in both you and the kids. And you find yourself coming down with a bad case of the Blues.  The Poor Mama Blues.

But this can’t be blamed on anyone but yourself. Your emotions and attitudes belong to no one else but you. You are in charge of them. You are in charge of what your emotions and attitudes are in any given situation.

Sounds harsh? Yes. But honesty is your friend here. Your emotions come upon you without notice, but whether you allow them to stay and develop into an attitude is up to you. You are in charge. To place the blame anywhere else means there is no way of conquering it. You would have no control. But you do. Even when it feels otherwise.

When you first feel the Poor Mama Blues coming on is the best time to stop it in its tracks. While it is still small. Before it gets out of hand.

10 Ways Stop the Poor Mama Blues

1. STOP:

Stop whining. You’re the adult. Some days Mamahood is hard, but you’re a big girl and you can make it through. Sometimes we just have to take charge of our emotions instead of sulking.

2. PRAY:

Stop what you are doing and ask God to help you have the right attitude today.

3. READ:

Sit down and read a book with your kids. Remind yourself they are your main priority today.

4. BE THANKFUL: 

Be thankful for the whining, wiping and wildness around you. It means your children are alive and well. As I write this, on my prayer list is a mom whose first child lived only a few hours. Now she is carrying her second child and has just received news that this baby has the same rare defect and is not likely to live long as well. I can’t imagine her sorrow. Yes, be thankful your children are with you and able to make messes and want your attention. She would give anything to be in your shoes right now.

5. ENVISION:

What good 5 qualities you see in each of your children? What are their strong points? How has God gifted them? What does He see when He looks at them? In what areas have they matured? What do you imagine God has planned for each of them? How will your mama-ing today help them tomorrow?

6. DANCE:

Put on some fast-paced music and be silly with your youngin’s. Lighten the mood and get your groove on.

7. GROW: Look for one way God wants you to grow today. What lesson is He showing you? How are today’s trials molding you to be more like Christ? Choose a verse, write it on sticky notes, post it around the house and commit to memorizing it this week.

8. BE HELPFUL: Do something helpful for someone who is going through a difficult situation right now. Make dinner for them… babysit for them… invite them over for coffee… bake cookies… rake their yard… run their errands… be creative. Interrupt your pity party and focus on helping someone else who is having a hard time.

9. JOIN FORCES: Invite another mom over. Let the kids play while you two pray together (over coffee, of course) for wisdom and strength in your mama-ing. Text each other encouragement every day for a week or two.

10. CLEAN: Use your time to tackle a project around the house that needs to be done and enlist the kids to help. Clean out the toys… tackle an overstuffed closet… sweep the garage… wash the windows… clean all the baseboards… clean out the fridge. Teach them about organization, cleaning, and caring for a home. Seeing a project tackled is good for the soul, visible progress in your day gives energy to tackle tomorrow.

What helps you overcome the Poor Mama Blues?