In the heat of a volcanic eruption, your goal is Damage Control. Once an outburst begins, it is usually too late to completely restore law and order, as your child has reached her breaking point and is communicating this quite clearly.  My suggestion for surviving this traumatic moment is to:  1) STAY CALM, 2) SHOW EMPATHY, and 3) FINISH YOUR SHOPPING (though quicken your pace).  First, if you do not lose your cool, drive-by shoppers will be less interested in watching you.  Second, admit to your child that this is boring, and praise her for her patience so far. Try to soothe her in a productive way. Is there a healthy snack you can give her to curb her hungries? “I bet you are hungry.  It’s past snack time.  Would you like some Cheerios or some GoldFish crackers right now?” (CAUTION: Do NOT fall into the trap of offering a bribe. Promising to buy a candy bar or toy if your child quiets down will open Pandora’s Box of Manipulative Battles for shopping trips to come!!!)  However, another safe response is to distract your little trooper by talking about the fun you will have together when you get home. 

Lastly, if these tactics do not work and the howling continues, simply finish your shopping as quickly as possible and be prepared for a possibly loud ride home.  Chances are, you overdid the morning and that ought to motivate ya to prepare differently next time. (See tips for Meltown Prevention). The good news is, thunderous meltdowns are often followed by a priceless, peaceful nap! 

     While the perfect cure for Spring Fever has not yet been developed, methods to minimize its impact are listed below. 

      1.  Go outside. Once the sun (bright yellow ball in the sky that emits heat and light) starts shining, hit the door running. Add extra time for play outside and, if you can, take your work/homework outside to a picnic table or blanket on the lawn. 

      2.      Hold down the fort. Continue to set firm but loving boundaries and routines with your children; but recognize that it IS normal for everyone to feel a little burned-out and tired at this point. So pour on the love and talk candidly about what is going on.

      3.      Eat healthy. Take advantage of the sweet fruits and crisp, colorful veggies that are now in season. Keep minds sharp and bodies healthy with a combination of lean protein and nature’s vitamin-rich treats. Standardized testing and finals begin soon. Healthy diets and plenty of rest can help our kids fight stress and do their best on these rigorous tests. 

      4.      Tie up loose ends. We want to enter the summer with NO REGRETS. There is still time to share your concerns, questions, suggestions, and praises with teachers, administrators and children. Write a note, make a phone call or visit in person. Constructive feedback is worth its weight in gold. Also, use the information you got at Parent-Teacher conferences to help your child reassess achievable goals for the last quarter. Prioritize to keep goals realistic and manageable.

      5.    Focus on today and “…do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.”  Matthew 6:34. Better yet, celebrate each day by letting God surprise you with the incredible wonders of Spring.

      As I wrap up my typing, I see the sun peeking through my window. My ability to type is fading…my focus is clouding…ants are invading…I must…go……..outside!  Hope to see you there!    

“GRUMPY!” I growled back with a snarly laugh, I was trying to appear not quite as mean as I was feeling. He was taken aback: What had Dr Jekyll done with Mr Hyde? Acting so out of character, I felt I had to explain, “I haven’t been in here for 5 days, and I NEED to sweat! Gonna go take it out on the treadmill.” From there I shoved my ipod buds into my ears, took a swig of water, and stomped off in a rush to squeeze in a short but “meaningful” workout.

While the treadmill began to move, I felt guilt rise in my chest. Do you ever feel “post-anger guilt?” Well, it hits me every time. And like usual, the guilt added to my frustration. Luckily my kids were not around, as this is where I sometimes parent out of Mommy Guilt (like after I’ve yelled at them for no good reason). Parenting outta Mommy Guilt is often regrettable because it can lead to overindugence, overpermissiveness,erratic emotions and inconsistency. So, like I said, I was thankful to be alone in my irrational pity party for the moment.

Time was ticking and my new running shoes were heating up with the track’s increasing speed. But the more I thought, the more confused I became. Why should I feel guilty for feeling angry? After all, I did NOT yell at my kids this time. I wasn’t even rude to the Gym Guy! AND yesterday was a very exciting and successful day. After officially launching my Tri Parenting E-Zine and this blog, both were met with wonderful reception! But WITH all that excitement, I’m thinking I should be floating on Cloud 9 today, right? The rediculousness in that question made me feel even more insane.

By the time my 30 minute workout was over, my grumps had sweated profusely onto my shirt. I atrributed my emotional hic-up to sugar overload, unrealistic expectations, and slothlike-ness for the last 5 days. I found peace and gratitude knowing my ugly mood had actually fueled one heck of a workout, and Mr Hyde left the gym smiling.

Gym Guy seemed relieved, too. “See you tomorrow? He asked with a smile.

“You bet!” I replied, “looking forward to it already.”