RockingMama Journeys through the weeks

The First Week

Hopefully, you all enjoyed this first week of RockingMama Journeys as much as I did and are starting to reconnect with your kids. The first week we’ve spent doing little things to really build up our kid’s confidence. Everyone needs a confidence boost occasionally and who better to give one than their mom?

Encouragement to confidence is a huge first step in RockingMama Journeys. Next week we will be moving on to actual activities that we can do with our kids to build a connection. Want a recap of what we are doing and why, check out my blog post here.

 Journey #1

Today you are going to fill every conversation, even the hard ones, with encouraging words.

Yep. Try to make every interaction with your child filled with encouragement!.

𝚃𝙸𝙿𝚂

📝 No matter what the situation is ~ try to find the positive and point it out
📝 Sneak in the encouragement when they least expect it
📝 If you’re frustrated take a deep breath before you speak

𝙴𝚇𝚃𝚁𝙰 𝙲𝚁𝙴𝙳𝙸𝚃

📝 Give yourself some extra points if you not only speak encouraging words but also keep yourself from speaking critical words. 📝

Journey #2

Let’s make our homes a safe space…to communicate.

By safe I mean making sure that our kids feel heard, that they know they can tell you how they’re feeling, and that they feel confident that you’re listening.

Today, examine the words you are saying, or said, as your kids left. Think about what you are going to say when they get home, and see if there are any changes you can make so that they have all the warm fuzzies.

I used to be fairly frazzled and frustrated in the mornings. My mood was awful, I was cranky, and that led to me being short with the kiddos. This was probably ten years ago.

What changed is that I realized my being frustrated and short with them when they got on the bus or dropped at the sitter, was kind of ruining their day. And then I got to thinking…what if that was the last thing I said to them?

Since then I’ve worked – not always successfully but tried – to have the last thing I say before they leave for wherever they are going and the first thing I say to them when they get back from wherever they went to be positive.

I also learned to be a better listener. I never realized that listening was a skill (thank you therapist) and that active listening can really change the tone and success of a conversation – especially with kids.

𝚃𝙸𝙿𝚂

📝 Look your kid in the eyes when saying good-bye or hello
📝 Hold off on mentioning things such as “why wasn’t your room clean before you left,” or “who left their shoes right inside the door” until you’ve at least said hello
📝 Remember that our kids have bad days too and sometimes a little smile and hello is all they need to feel tons better

**If you stumbled on this post and are in an unsafe family situation please call or reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 (SAFE)**

Journey #3

Brag about your kids…

Our kids are amazing. They are the best part of us and we love them to bits…usually.

When you brag on your kids it doesn’t have to be for some amazing ball game or winning an honor’s award ~ although those are good things to brag about ~ but just brag about how amazing your kid is. Do they help you around the house? Do you just love them so much?

Whether you post on social media, if you do things like that, or if you just leave them a note, tell them with words and a hug.

𝚃𝙸𝙿𝚂
📝 Be sneaky and surprise them
📝 Think of something good they’ve done that they don’t think you know about
📝 Make it as big a deal as you can

Journey #4

Send your kiddo a positive note. It can be a sticky note on their door when they get home. A cutesy little card in their lunch. Even a message over social for us parents of older kids.

𝚃𝙸𝙿𝚂
📝 Make it a surprise. If you always leave notes do it in a different place this time
📝 Find something new to tell them or something you haven’t told them in a while
📝 Be sneaky and make it fun

 

Go here to follow along on my Instagram and leave your own ideas.