LOSING IT: 6 WAYS TO CONTAIN A MOMMY MELTDOWN  

I hate when I lose it. Like an unexpected thunderstorm, a mommy meltdown comes on fast and furious. My mood swing is like a crack of lightening scaring the crap out of everyone in its path. The triggers are numerous. It could be a baby’s chronic crying. A toddler’s incessant, “why?” A work call interrupted by your four year old’s need to show you something (his pee on the floor) right NOW! The request for a fried egg before you have had your morning coffee. Coming home to after work to find that your husband forgot that it was his night to prepare dinner. And, the fridge is empty. Your teen’s thankless, insouciance when you cancel your own plans to ferry him back and forth to a friend’s party. It’s draining. And everyone (even perma-cool as a cucumber Gwen Stefani) has a breaking point. Mine is when over-tired, overwhelmed and overextended coalesce. After the outburst, I turn on myself and berate my inner fishwife of a mother for my lack of patience and  poor parenting skills. There is good news. With twelve years of experience now under my belt, I have developed intuition. Much like shoving a pacifier into the mouth of a mewling, on-the-verge-of-a tantrum baby, I can sense the early warning signs and take steps to contain the agitas.

FIVE MINUTE FIXES