Your Favorite Coping Methods on those Really Hard Days (A Lighthearted Thread)

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pensmama87

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Mad props to single parents and those who do a lot of solo parenting. On days my husband works late I feel like I need to go to bed at about 4pm, just so I can skip all the evening hours.

On hard days like these, I like to daydream about sitting on a lounge chair on some fancy beach sipping a fruity drink with a little umbrella. I figure it beats crying in the bathroom (alone, darn it) or actually day drinking. 😃

I might have discovered the joys of the “happy hour” Sonic late afternoon prices, too. “Alright kids, let’s stop destroying the house for half an hour so I can load you up with sugar, then release you into the backyard until dinner. Then you’ll crash and hopefully feel amenable to bedtime.”

At least, that’s how it works in theory…😃
 
Chocolate Trinity ice cream.
Copious amounts.
Jar of cashews.
Sweet tea.
Rinse, repeat.

ETA:
My girls are in their early 20’s/ doesn’t get easier, bigger worries. only upside is that they occasionally let me borrow their make-up/ 😊
 
pianistclare said:
Chocolate Trinity ice cream.
Copious amounts.
Jar of cashews.
Sweet tea.
Rinse, repeat.

ETA:
My girls are in their early 20’s/ doesn’t get easier, bigger worries. only upside is that they occasionally let me borrow their make-up/ 😊
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Cashews make me think of Christmas. My mom makes chocolate cashew clusters. Super delicious.

I’m not surprised but I think it’s awesome how much you care for your girls. If they don’t already I bet they will get to a point where they appreciate it soon.

I don’t get to it much, but another thing I like to do is curl up with a book. Historical fiction is a favorite.
 
How about some good music?
Classical music makes for peaceful commuting; singing along with an old musical can be enjoyable.
I can’t be having a bad moment if I’m accompanying Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, or Prince and motown is fun, fun, fun.
I love my Catholic hymns and consider Christmas carols year round fare.
A little Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass? Turning one of the munchkins into your impromptu cha cha partner?
Music is a wonderful pick me up.
You might also get out and have a 5 minute run with the kids.
A quick kickball game, soccer scrimmage, tag match will clear your head and give your kids some neat mom moments. (although with a nine month old, it might have to coincide with nap time, a front pack, or walking rules)😃

Here’s some Stevie for you:
youtube.com/watch?v=0UmHuRTJMI0&list=RD0UmHuRTJMI0#t=0
 
RPRPsych said:
👍

Also, listening to songs that take you on a journey -Fading Lights - Genesis

or ones that make you count your blessings, like the one in my signature. 🙂
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I wasn’t familiar with that Genesis song.

That’s a great song! Thanks for posting that link.

They were my favorite band back in the late 70’s and the early 80’s.

I was able to see them in concert three different times, and I saw Phil Collins in concert too, right when he started to go solo in the early 80’s. 🙂

I also like Mike & the Mechanics, too.
 
pensmama87 said:
Mad props to single parents and those who do a lot of solo parenting. On days my husband works late I feel like I need to go to bed at about 4pm, just so I can skip all the evening hours.

On hard days like these, I like to daydream about sitting on a lounge chair on some fancy beach sipping a fruity drink with a little umbrella. I figure it beats crying in the bathroom (alone, darn it) or actually day drinking. 😃

I might have discovered the joys of the “happy hour” Sonic late afternoon prices, too. “Alright kids, let’s stop destroying the house for half an hour so I can load you up with sugar, then release you into the backyard until dinner. Then you’ll crash and hopefully feel amenable to bedtime.”

At least, that’s how it works in theory…😃
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I like to listen to music when I am feeling rather stressed.

Sometimes I like to listen to fast-paced music that I can move around to, rather than slower more relaxing music.

It depends on my mood.

I like to drink non-alcoholic flavored drinks too, that I find more of a treat for me that I don’t normally drink too often anymore, like flavored sodas or soft drinks. I like flavored diet colas and lemonades.

I’ll go for a Diet Cola that’s cherry-flavored, a diet 7-Up that’s cherry-flavored, or a sugar-free pink lemonade–something like that. 🙂
 
oldgraymare2 said:
I wasn’t familiar with that Genesis song.

That’s a great song! Thanks for posting that link.

They were my favorite band back in the late 70’s and the early 80’s.
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Thanks, glad you liked it! It sort of slips under the radar because it’s the last track on their last album (unless you count Calling All Stations, which I don’t. ;))
I was able to see them in concert three different times, and I saw Phil Collins in concert too, right when he started to go solo in the early 80’s. 🙂
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I also like Mike & the Mechanics, too.
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Lucky you! Well, I guess I have the live recordings to go by. 👍
 
RPRPsych said:
Thanks, glad you liked it! It sort of slips under the radar because it’s the last track on their last album (unless you count Calling All Stations, which I don’t. ;))

Lucky you! Well, I guess I have the live recordings to go by. 👍
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Nothing wrong with that!

Their live recordings are really great! 🙂 👍
 
Thanks all for the music suggestions! I don’t know why but for some reason I just never think of it! I’ll have to try that.
 
Anything by Bonnie Raitt for me.
I love her raspy voice, and her sassy style.

😃

Joe loves Abba. NO!!!:bigyikes: just no. no no no. When he puts it on, I figure I’m shaving time off of Purgatory. :rolleyes:

Which reminds me: The surgery on his broken arm is this morning. They’re going to put a steel plate in. PLease say an Ave or two for him, thanks! Love you guys!
 
Taking a minute for a cup of tea or coffee. Or, for that matter, taking three minutes to make myself a latte. Mmmmm…

Getting in the car and going somewhere, even if it’s just to pick up a gallon of milk.

The pet store is a huge lifesaver for us. DD loves going there (guinea pigs! Birds! KITTY CATS!), and she can toddle all over the place cooing at animals rather than throwing a bored fit. We go once a week or so.

DH has about a week out of every month that requires late hours. Quarter months are worse, and January…well, we kind of see each other in passing. (He’s an accountant/analyst.) I try to plan ahead for those times in terms of meals being something crockpot- or oven-based (read: get the cleanup done ahead of time, hot meal ready whenever he does come in), budgeting for a bit more eating out (less stressful), and planning an evening or two with another local mom whose husband has monthly business trips that often coincide with DH’s late nights. Kid-wrangling is much easier in the evenings when there are both other kids to help keep the kids entertained and another pair of mom eyes involved. We generally get takeout for those evenings, too.

Every so often, DD and I have a movie afternoon/evening. I’ll pop a big bowl of popcorn and put on a Disney movie. She isn’t yet to the stage of watching something by herself, but she loves snuggling on the couch under a blanket with Mommy and eating popcorn. (Bonus: popcorn is high in fiber and has a decent amount of protein, so less worrying about dinner for the toddler.)

DS just woke up, but I’m following this thread and may think of other things later… 😃

PS–Oh, and nothing wrong with looking forward to a beer or a glass of wine once the kids are in bed. 😉
 
Buy a rose and put it in a bud vase on your bedside table or bath counter. Remember that you are a daughter of a King.
Small things like this don’t break the bank, but start and end each day with beauty and thanksgiving.
������
 
pianistclare said:
Joe loves Abba. NO!!!:bigyikes: just no. no no no. When he puts it on, I figure I’m shaving time off of Purgatory. :rolleyes:
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Don’t let my mother hear you saying that! She reveres them, even going so far as to see feminist motifs in some of their early songs. And for the record, I enjoy them too…true, they’re a glossy pop band, but their melodies can be irresistible sometimes. 😉
 
I kind of love ABBA. Joe’s got good taste IMO. 😉 I will pray, too.

Oh, cut flowers!

Last night we had a “picnic” with Aldi take and bake pizza and a movie in the living room on an old blanket. The kids thought it was the greatest.
 
Isn’t it amazing how a minor change can make such a big difference?
It’s still the same dinner, but it’s suddenly cool.
We used to do picnic lunches on the back porch steps in the summer; a welcome outdoors break form my mom and a great adventure for us. Clean up was sweeping crumbs to the robins and washing a few dishes.
Having breakfast for dinner was also a nice way to shake up an evening, with the kids making pictures on the griddle with the pancake batter.
Go mom! 🙂
 
I used to tell people that my “stress diet” was Valium and Doritos. Of course, one’s doctor needs to prescribe the Valium. Fortunately, one doesn’t need a prescription for Doritos!
 
Well, I pick up and look closely at the cross my son made me for the first mother’s day after my ex-wife (now ex both legally and sacramentally) decided to move out and divorce.

The minor tribulations of life are a small cross like that one in the grand scheme of things given I’ve been able to kiss them every morning before work, and kiss them when I put them to bed every night.
 
I don’t know if y’all parents have time but those adult coloring books are awesome stress relievers. Pricey though, but they last a while as the drawings are very detailed. They also have apps for coloring on smartphones. They go much quicker!
 
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