By Guest Blogger: Ciara Cheriese
Most people associate “March Madness” with college basketball… However, any parent of a grade schooler knows that “March Madness” applies directly to them & their kiddos!
This is the time of year, when project after project is due… When homework seems like it is taking even longer than before… When you are asking yourself “Why do I feel like I am the student too?”
Unfortunately, this is all totally normal. The beauty is you will survive & your beautiful child(ren) will be “clutch players” and score right at the “buzzer”.
The key to survival is just reminding yourself that you have survived worse & that which does not kill us makes us stronger. March is the perfect time to really start focusing on some “healthy habits & boundaries”.
Make certain that you are implementing a schedule that gives you the opportunity to practice self care. Even just having a 15-20 minute break, for a snack & a quick rest in between after school pick ups & the start of homework, counts as “healthy habits & boundaries”.
Please remember to keep your busy days simple. For example, if you know that you will have a “jam packed Wednesday”… Be sure to give yourself “permission” to grab a quick bite to eat out (or make it PB & J night with gourmet chips & a tasty beverage). This will help take some stress out of the equation & also make the day much more enjoyable.
Next, make sure you are mapping out your week. My suggestion is that you pick a recurring day of the week (mine is Sunday) & map out what is on the agenda for the week. This will help you to stay ahead of the chaos (in theory :).
Most importantly, remember to have fun & just go with the flow. None of the stress & deadlines should ever outweigh the beauty of day to day living. Embrace the unknown because it is what keeps us evolving & it is what truly counts!
Need a little fun March Madness activity? Try this printable March Madness Book Bracket. Battle it out over which book your family votes is the best. Or try seeing who can read the most books each week. Who will win the Book Champion title?
