"I need space."
When you have kids, there will be tantrums. The question is, who is throwing the tantrum, the child or the parent?
When you know that you are going to explode, instead of pushing through it, say, “I need space.”
Space can look like:
- Closing the bathroom door for 2 minutes and breathing/crying/silent-monkey-screaming/counting down from 100 by sevens.
- Standing in the cold on the front step.
- Lying on the couch, face-down playing ‘Who Can Wake The Sleeping Giant?
- Leaving the kids with another adult and going for a walk or a drive somewhere else.
- Heading to the store to pick up a “forgotten” grocery item.
There is nothing wrong with noticing your own emotions and finding a way to regulate them.
To be clear, this is not you asking permission, “Could I have some space?” This is you stating that you need something and then making it happen in a way that keeps you and your kids safe.
When we make this a habit, we get better at it. We also model this for our kids - that they can take themselves away from something that is hurtful, or annoying before they lash out.
Acknowledging your need for space may help you to build it into your days more regularly in 2025. I encourage you to explore this for yourself.
Here’s to ‘Space’ Exploration in 2025!