Search Results for: blog expressing frustration

Facing Down Frustration

I do not mean to imply that frustration is the sole challenge of the single parent, but I do think it can be a frequent occurrence in our harried lives. How we learn to deal with frustration can help us to grow and develop as an individual and become a stronger and more competent parent… Frustration can feel like extreme disappointment–we are unhappy with the results or our efforts or how things are going; we really wanted it to go differently and we are frustrated by the reality. Frustration can also feel like a big roadblock–there is something or someone … Continue reading →

Expressing Anger Can Help You Move On

Can enough be said about anger? As a person, a parent, and someone trying to deal with a child’s anger–this can be one of the most difficult emotions to process and deal with in a healthy way. The first time our 2 year-old gets angry and has an outburst, it can be overwhelming and embarrassing; when we feel our own selves getting angry at that sweet child we adore, we can feel like we need to bury or repress it. Anger can feel unpredictable and unreasonable. So, what is a parent to do? First of all, learning how to express … Continue reading →

Expressing Oneself Means Less Acting Out

I am a big believer in the power of language and communication. I think when we give our children the gift of being able to talk about things and empower them with the communication skills and freedom to express their feelings and opinions, they are less likely to act out with negative behaviors. Kids (and grownups too) who can talk about what is going on in terms of emotional distress or concerns are less likely to need to act out as a coping mechanism. When I say “act out” I am referring to attention-seeking behaviors or aggression or other behavior … Continue reading →

Expressing Frustration

Here’s the thing—I have three high-school aged teenagers, each of them is one year apart in school and a little more than one year apart in age. I love them, I adore them, I am often inspired by them—but they have a regular tendency to frustrate the living daylights out of me! I would like to go on record that I think it is perfectly appropriate and healthy for a parent to be able to express her frustration at her charges and offspring now and again… According to all the experts, in all in the HOW we express ourselves to … Continue reading →

Are You Too Critical?

How often do you start the day with a morning lecture? My 8-year-old daughter’s answer:  “Too many!” She’s probably right. If she asks for help locating her backpack, I spend five minutes “suggesting” that she hang it in the back hall where she can easily find it. If she complains about taking the same home lunch to school every day I “propose” that she expand her palate because there’s only so much I can do with strawberries, crackers and plain chicken. When she whines about not having enough time to eat a leisurely breakfast before school I “recommend” moving up … Continue reading →

The Measure of Success

I was talking to a dear friend of mine late last night. We both were expressing our frustration with the men, or lack thereof, in our lives. We both have had such a strong desire to find a good man to share our lives with and have tried our best to live worthy of such a man; a man who would love and support us, who would be a good father and husband. I realized before long that we had both equated our success in life to whether or not we would ever marry. We both had such an intense … Continue reading →

Barking Orders

Wouldn’t it be interesting to be able to playback the things we say throughout the day? I think it would be pretty enlightening. For whatever reason, there was this moment I experienced a couple of days ago when I really heard myself. And I didn’t like what I was hearing. The realization hit me that I give a lot of instructions, particularly with my youngest child. “Put your shoes away.” “Feed the dogs.” “Turn down your television.” “Do your homework.” It’s not that giving instructions is wrong. But is most of our communication spent barking orders? I had to ask … Continue reading →

Appreciate Your Differences

Do you appreciate the differences between you and your spouse? Or do you find them to be more of an aggravation? It’s funny how when you first meet someone, those differences can be endearing but over time, they can become frustrating. Sometimes I have to catch myself falling prey to this. I can look at the differences between us and feel like he needs to change. But in reality, it is who he is. And just as I expect him to accept me, I need to do the same. Take the way we respond to stress. It is very different. … Continue reading →

Some Personality

It was like this with both of my babies. Before their birth I tried to imagine what kind of personality they would have while trying very hard to enjoy every minute of each pregnancy (it goes fast). With my daughter I wondered if she would be like her brother. Watching my son’s and now my daughter’s personality blossom is something I anticipated and truly enjoy to see. My son’s personality is pretty clear at this “toddler” stage in his life. He is out going, happy, very interested in playing musical instruments. He does every thing with flair and animation. His … Continue reading →

All Aboard the Roller Coaster Ride of Adolescence

Dealing with a teenager can be a dicey proposition in the best of times. On any roller coaster, part of the ride is taking that occasional plunge, but what happens when the drop becomes too steep or the ride veers off track? When you’re in parenting mode, your tolerance for a rough ride may be different from your teen’s. So how do you know if your teen is having a bad day or a bad week or something more? How do you know if the withdrawal and slump in grades are normal or something to worry about? How do you … Continue reading →