Mothering In The Midst Of Mayhem

Are you in the midst of a life change? Maybe you’re adding a sibling to your family. Or you or your significant other recently had a job change. Or a job loss. Or you’re going through a move.

Do you feel like you’re in the midst of mayhem? Like you have no idea how to keep yourself sane, let alone your family, in all of the chaos?

I know a lot about that. You see, this summer my little family of 6 was smack dab in the middle of a hot mess. My husband had recently accepted a new job, which meant we quickly had to get our beloved house on the market (with 4 kids ages 8 and under running around, mind you). We were so happy when we received an acceptable offer a week later and a closing date just under 30 days out. We packed up our house and did a little dance as we watched the movers load up our things…so thankful we didn’t have to do the heavy lifting!

A few days later we discovered mold in the basement of our new house and started having breathing issues. Not wanting to keep the kids in that environment, I packed myself and the kids up and stayed with various family members over the next 3 weeks while the house was being treated.

Much to our dismay, the breathing problems continued once we returned. With school starting, we had no time left to stay with family and friends while we figured it out. So we quickly found a rental, re-packed all of our stuff, loaded up a UHaul, and moved again (with 4 kids ages 8 and under running around, mind you).

We’re still living in upheaval and I’m not quite sure what is coming next, but I learned a lot about mothering in the midst of mayhem this summer and today I’m going to share my tips with you!

When you’re stressed out and working through the chaos in your life, the last thing you feel like you can do is take a break from it. But that’s exactly when you need it the most.

1. Keep a Routine.

Wherever you find yourself, be it in your home, visiting family, or traveling, it helps a lot to keep your kids in a routine. This is especially important at bedtime. You may be at Grandma’s and going to bed at 11, but making sure your kids know what to expect next goes a long way towards helping your night-times go better. If a family member or friend is helping out, write your routines or schedule down on paper and post it somewhere they can easily see. (I can’t guarantee they will follow it, but it’s a good start!!)

2. Talk to your Kids.

Talk to your kids about what is going on (in an age-appropriate way). Kids are perceptive and they pick up on more than we give them credit for. They notice when you are stressed or sad or angry. Let them know why you feel that way and make sure they know it’s ok to ask questions and share their own feelings. Reassure them that you love them and you will all get through this time together.

3. Take a break.

When you’re stressed out and working through the chaos in your life, the last thing you feel like you can do is take a break from it. But that’s exactly when you need it the most. Head to the park as a family. Take a day to just rest and quit thinking about the issues at hand for a while. You’ll return much more level-headed and energized to take on the tasks ahead of you. And feel significantly less like having an emotional breakdown.