Everyone deals with heaviness of heart at some point. We women are especially prone to it. Some of us are less willing to put a label on it. Maybe you wake up feeling as if something is just off and you can’t put your finger on it, and the last thing you feel like doing is being an inspiration to your children. Maybe your day was going well until you were triggered by a conversation, a memory, or something you read. Maybe it’s on these days that you skip the niceties and move straight to individual bookwork. You are just trying to survive without damaging your children. If you push through and rush everyone through their work, they wont pick up on your heaviness. Right? Wrong. I can teach my children to push through, but I’d rather teach them to work through. Does that sound contradictory?
I would like to share a few suggestions from my own experience.
Develop a plan. You know yourself better than anyone. You know what makes you tick. Sometimes it helps to make a list of thoughts, scriptures, and activities. I’ve learned to remind myself that I will not always feel this way. I might not even feel this way in a few hours. Don't wait until you are down to make a plan. Put this plan in your phone.
Begin your day with private prayer and devotion. Try to get up before your kids.
Delete social media from your phone. This is temporary. I’m not saying deactivate your account. “Comparison is the thief of joy!”
Read aloud. Crack open a good book with your kids. Ignore the clock. Make this a funschooling day. Break out the tea! I have found that reading aloud to my kids always lifts my mood. Do they play? Yes. Do I snap sometimes? Yes. However, I have found that the most hyperactive one is paying the closest attention. He can always repeat back what I’ve read verbatim. Go figure.
Leave the house. I know it’s hard. Your home is your haven. You feel safe there. You’ll be amazed how nature can renew you. Pack up the kids, snacks, and nature journals, and head to the park. Forget your daily checklist. This is an opportunity to draw closer to God AND your children. You might be surprised to find out that they remember this as one of the best days.
Reach out. Call a friend. You don’t have to talk about what you are going through. There is just something about connecting with another adult. I have a friend who lives in a different time zone, and we sometimes go several months without speaking. A phone call in the morning before the kids get up brightens my day.
I hope this was helpful. If anything, that you wouldn’t feel alone. We all have hard days. Some of us have REALLY hard days. Don’t just stuff it under the surface. Psalm 16:11 says, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
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