You Have the Power

A few weeks ago, in the early evening, my kids were taking a tub, splashing around, laughing, and having fun. I walked into the bathroom to check on them and the floor was COVERED in water. I mean COVERED. Nearly the ENTIRE floor. 

I lost my shit 🤬

I snapped and started SCREAMING at them about how they don’t listen and did they not see the water all over the floor and I kept going and going, rambling on about I don’t even know what at this point. It was like I wasn’t even in my own body...until I yelled...”and you need to control yourselves!”...at which point I came to, put my eyeballs back in their sockets, heard what I had just said, and burst out laughing at myself. Like oh hey Mom, telling the kids to control themselves huh? Meanwhile you’re out of control yelling at them right now. 🤦🏻‍♀️

It was terrible.

My son was looking at me like I was insane.  
My daughter was near tears. 
And I was sitting there thinking Jesus, what just happened? 

It was a Wednesday. 

I know this because for the past year and four months Wednesday’s are our “transition day”...the day my little ones come to my house after being with their Dad. 

For the past year and four months, Wednesday’s have royally SUCKED when in fact, they should be the best day! 🤯

I work all day. I rush back to get my kiddos at aftercare. We rush home because it’s already getting late in the day. We get home and I go into Drill Sergeant mode...empty your backpacks...take a shower or tub...get your PJ’s on...meanwhile I’m going through my own list of crap to do...pack lunches, load the dishwasher, organize the papers that came home, get dinner ready...on and on it goes... Needless to say the entire house is stressed, the tension is way high, and nobody is winning. 👎🏻

So after THE incident ⬆️, I sat in my room that night and thought to myself, is this how EVERY Wednesday will be for the foreseeable future? Terrible? Full of stress and yelling? I can’t. 😞

There had to be another way. I refused to accept that Wednesday’s would suck forever. So I got to thinking, and the next day I chatted with my therapist (because yes, I have one and she’s amazing!), and a plan was born 🙌🏻

That night, when my kids and I sat for dinner I talked to them. It went something like this...

Me: Hey guys, remember last night when Mommy was screaming at you and went crazy? 

My kids: Uh huh. 

Me: I’m sorry. I love you both. I was feeling frustrated about a lot of things and when I saw the water on the floor I just snapped. 

My kids: Yeah you did Mama! 
(We all laughed a little at that!)

Me: So guys, on Wednesday’s when you come to Moms after being with Dad for a while, do you feel a little stressed too? With all the change that happens on Wednesday’s? 

My kids: Umm, yeah. It’s a lot Mama. 

Me: And that doesn’t feel good right? I know for Mom it feels hard. 

My kids: No. It doesn’t feel good. It is hard! 

Me: I have an idea. What if we talk about ways to make Wednesday a special transition day? A day where you get to come to Moms and we have a special thing we do each week together so it’s fun and not stressful or hard.

My kids: YEAH! That would be cool! 

And so we sat together and they excitedly shared their ideas of how to make Wednesday’s special... 

✨Make your own dinner night
✨Wrestling night 
✨Hide and go seek night 
✨unlimited iPad night (ummm no...)

...until we all agreed on an idea. 

❤️Every Wednesday in our house is family movie night...in Moms bed...with a giant bowl of popcorn...AND sleepover night in Moms room❤️

We came up with a plan TOGETHER. 

The dishes don’t usually get done, lunches don’t usually get made until Thursday morning, tubs and showers don’t happen, and there are A LOT less tears and yelling. 

Instead, there is a lot of happiness and laughter, usually a dance party in the kitchen before or during dinner, so much cuddling, time spent together, and (bonus!) I get to go to sleep super early with the kids🙌🏻

We took back our Wednesday’s, thank God 🙏🏻

Whether you’re a Mom or a Dad with a transition day that sucks like I was or just a human being with some “thing” that needs to change...
💥YOU HAVE THE POWER💥

You have the power to make for positive change. To take back your _______, whatever that is.

Today is your day. Start now💕